Sensei
by team.hoshi
Summary: Amaya finds herself bound to this world. Perhaps due to her distressing past with Hao? Or perhaps due to the inevitability of her meeting with Yoh? The answer remains unclear as she struggles to differentiate between right and wrong in this world
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Shaman King nor do I own any of Hiroyuki Takei's brilliant characters or concepts associated with Shaman King (although I wish I did). I do, however, own all original characters and spirits contained in this story, as well as the idea behind it.**

_A/N: I got the idea for this story about a month ago (before I had finished reading the manga) and I proceeded to write it in the most unchronological order possible. I plan on having this be a 4-5 part story so it's probably going to be about 50-60 chapters at least, depending on how much I decide to condense the details. The first thing I started writing was the end of the 4__th__ part/beginning of the 5__th__ part of the story. Then, when I got unmotivated, I started writing the 1__st__ part . And then I finished reading the manga, and now I have to completely revise the ending I planned (which will probably end up making the story even longer) because I obviously assumed the wrong ending XD. Anyway, point is, I really hope you guys can stay interested and bear with me through the whole story I envisioned. _

_Also, my summary sucks (I know, sorry) but basically the story focuses on my OC but also heavily on Hao and Yoh and their, uhmm, "bond"._

_Also,_

_**WARNING: If you haven't finished reading the manga, later (much later, actually) chapters will contain definite spoilers! You were warned!**_

Chapter 1: First Life- The Escape

"Who are you talking to, Amaya?"

"..."

"There is no one there. How many times do I have to tell you to stop imagining companions? People will think you've gone mad. How will we ever marry you off, then?"

Amaya didn't reply. It had been like this since as long as she could remember. These "figments" of her imagination. Every so often, she would encounter one. They were so life-like, it was almost impossible for her to distinguish them from real people. And every time she was caught trying to communicate with one, her mother would scold her mercilessly and accuse her of being too spoiled in desiring constant companionship and reckless in her fantastical creations. "A real lady," she would say, "is unaffected by loneliness. Only shame. You should learn to distinguish amongst them".

Her family was, without a doubt, intolerant of deviant behaviour. And she was, unquestionably, a magnet for it. In public, she was seldom allowed to speak, for fear that one of her strange delusions would cloud her mind and she would unintentionally taint the family name. Weary of raising suspicions in the village, her family would excuse her passivity as a cause of her extreme shyness. In reality, she was actually quite opinionated. But, she could never express her views openly, unless she wished to be disowned.

As she was a beautiful young girl, with far more potential than any of the other girls in the area, with a lovely, angelic face, and a quick, well-adaptable mind, her family chose to raise her despite her disability, in hopes that she would one day attract a powerful, rich man who would lead their family into prosperity. Her eyes were big and round, her mouth pouty, and her hair curly, long and brown. Even as a child, her beauty was near-flawless. Nevertheless, despite constant praise and attention from others, she never really felt she belonged. In the back of her mind, she always knew she was hiding a part of herself.

By the time she turned 17, she had lost almost all hope in humanity. Her life seemed meaningless and superficial, her duties demeaning and the expectations of her family limiting and unsatisfactory, to say the least. On the outside, she was beautiful and obedient. But on the inside, she was grave and lonely. She had learned to completely shut off the side of her that most defined her. She had no real desire to socialize and, whenever possible, she chose to be alone with her thoughts. Nevertheless, fate had a different plan for her.

A wealthy politician, Eiro Abe, was visiting Kyoto, in order to maintain solid ties with the people there. Out of respect for his visit, Amaya was obliged to accompany her family to greet him. Within moments of their encounter, he took a liking to the beautiful young girl, immediately intending to make her one of his wives. She was, however, at most, indifferent towards his cocky ignorance. Nevertheless, his ego shielded the reality of her feelings for him, and he began to pay her house nightly visits. Her family, ecstatic at Amaya's powerful admirer, encouraged the relationship incessantly. Despite her uncharacteristically young age, they joyfully accepted his courtship. Amaya, on the other hand, become more and more withdrawn and more and more desperate as the visits continued and the pressure on her increased. She didn't want to be married to this man. Her father, upon seeing her obvious hesitations, feared that Eiro would soon notice her indifference and forfeit his pursuit.

"Do you intend on ruining the family?" he thundered at her once Eiro had left, after one of her particularly unresponsive evenings. "This is our chance for prosperity, and you will do your duty, whether you like it or not!"

"I am doing my duty," she replied emotionlessly.

"You intend to drive him away with you impartiality, you ungrateful girl!"

"How can I fake affection? I have yet to be schooled by you in this field"

*SLAP*

"You spiteful, selfish child! You bring shame on this family!"

She didn't respond, but simply bore the criticism as her cheek stung.

"According to society's standards, you are already married to the politician. And you will do well to maintain his affections. Otherwise, you will be sent to be a nun like all other unworthy wives"

And with that, she was left alone. Her heart was full of sorrow, her mind burdened. On the one hand, her duty was to her family and that duty entailed her devotion to this self-absorbed, unintuitive man. But on the other hand, her heart became engulfed with sadness whenever she envisioned living the rest of her life in her current situation.

Her solution was abrupt and rash. She would have to escape. She mentally prepared herself as the time shifted farther and farther into the night. By the time the sky was at its darkest, and the occupants of her residence were all soundly asleep, her courage and determination had dwindled. She was having doubts. After all, she was still young, inexperienced and alone, not to mention a woman. In a heartbeat, she knew she had to make a life-altering decision which she could never turn back on, no matter what. She could either stay here and live out the rest of her life in stagnant, emotionless superficiality, or she could escape and somehow make her own way and reach a higher level of consciousness and a greater understanding of life. The fear expressed by her mind was vetoed by the will of her heart. Without further hesitation, she disappeared into the night. Thankfully, she had managed to escape before the inevitable day Eiro would have stayed the night. Hence, in her mind, she was still a single and free woman, unbinded and guiltless.

She raced into the night, unsure of her destination or plan, but somehow feeling freer and more alive than she had ever felt. After traveling for hours, she finally decided to seek shelter in a near forest, just as dawn was approaching. She quickly fell asleep under a giant, peaceful tree, well-concealed by the surrounding shrubbery.

She awoke late in the afternoon to an unusual sight. A white ball of light was casually floating above her. She stared at it, reaching her hand out to touch it. But, just as she did so, it retreated from her grasp. Curious, she sat up, and once again tried to grab it, to no avail. The ball of light, once again, dodged her hand.

"What are you?" she asked aloud.

There was a short moment of stillness, where the wind blowing through the trees was the only thing heard, and then there was a bright flash of light. Standing before Amaya was a beautiful, tall and steady deer. She gazed at it in amazement.

"Are you another one of my fabrications?" she asked it.

It did not reply, but simply bowed its head to her and scuffed the ground with one of its hooves.

"You're very beautiful," Amaya commented as she reached out her hand to the majestic animal.

The deer approached her hand cautiously, but there was no contact between them.

"I don't know what you are, or where you came from, but you're welcome to join me if you wish. Although I'm not quite sure of a destination yet, but, I'm sure I could use the company," she smiled as she got up and stretched.

The deer made no response but, when Amaya began walking, it cautiously followed behind her. Amaya smiled to herself.

"I think I shall call you Aya, which is similar to my own name, since you are a figment created by my own mind"

They walked in silence until the exit of the forest. Once they arrived, Amaya sighed. She was at a crossroads.

"What now?" she asked.

Aya, however, did not stop walking, but advanced past Amaya. Amaya, confused, observed her. Upon realizing that she was not being followed, Aya stopped and turned around to face Amaya. All at once, Amaya understood that Aya was guiding her so, without further hesitation, she followed behind her.

This commenced the beginning of a long, difficult, destinationless journey. Amaya followed Aya as far as Izumo, both of them learning to trust and care for one another along the way. Although Amaya was still unsure how or why Aya came to her, she considered her her only true companion and their bond became strong and enduring. With time, Amaya learnt that she could dispel Aya to the brooch fastened to her breast, if ever she thought she may be in danger. All she had to do was touch the brooch and will Aya to return to it, and Aya would disappear into it. This was Amaya's first indication that, perhaps, Aya was not a fabrication of her imagination after all, but indeed a real entity. This hypothesis, naturally, raised the possibility that, just maybe, Aya was some sort of spirit.

By the time they had reached Izumo, a year had passed. Although she had brought along spare clothing, and washed what she wore nightly in nearby lakes, most of her garments were very worn out by this time. In addition, Amaya had grown somewhat thinner due to decreased food availability. Although Aya played a prominent role in her survival, by guiding her to easily-available hunting prey, fishing sites and edible crops, Amaya still felt uncomfortable killing and stealing from nature, so she limited her food intake.

A little time after Amaya had arrived in Izumo, a strange incident occurred. Just as she was dispelling Aya, in order to grant them both some rest and peace of mind, a rustling amongst the trees startled her. She had found a quiet, secluded little forest where she had intended to rest for the night. However, the sudden and continuous rustling unnerved her. Just as she was about to release Aya, a strange creature emerged from the bushes and leapt towards her. Instinctively, she dodged the attack and screamed. Inexperienced and unfamiliar with the strange creature, she hastily grabbed her things and began to run, hoping to lose it in the forest. As she ran, she searched for some kind of weapon to defend herself with.

She swiftly grabbed a large tree branch off the ground as she ran, risking a look back to see if the creature was still following her. Although she didn't see it, she felt a strong presence around her, so decided not to let her guard down. As she turned her head back to face the front, the creature appeared in front of her. She avoided it slimly as it slashed out towards her. Taking the tree branch firmly in her hand, she tried to hit it, but to no avail. The branch went right through it. Unnerved, she kept running, observing an apparent clearing in the distance. Just as she was about to reach the clearing, however, a pack of creatures popped up in front of her. Desperate and unsure what to do in her circumstance, she closed her eyes and focused all her energy on destroying the creatures in front of her, willing herself to somehow make them disappear.

There was a sudden flash of light. When she opened her eyes, all the creatures in front of her had vanished. Exhausted and half-conscious from her stressful exertion, she stumbled out of the forest, through the clearing. Fighting the darkness that threatened to engulf her vision, she turned her head back to see a second group of creatures vigilantly pursuing her. Unable to continue any longer, she fainted in front of a large property just outside the clearing.

Unbeknowest to her, this was the beginning of a new, and incomparably difficult journey, which would test her strength of mind, heart and will in the most difficult of trials. This was the beginning of the most troublesome of battles one could ever fight. And it all began with..._him_.

...

A carriage stopped in front of her, just as the creatures were about to attack. In an instant, the creatures had vanished and her limp body had been lifted from the cold ground into a strong hold. The world as she knew it would never exist again. Never had she looked back upon her decision to escape that life. That is, until she met him. It started with a rescue, and it will end with a rescue.

**A/N: I researched the history of Japan in the Heian period because I wanted this story to be factually accurate. All the references to Eiro's courtship are customary events that would have occurred at the time. Supposedly, polygamy was very common, especially among powerful men of the time. In addition, there was no real marriage ceremony, but the man would visit the woman nightly. After this occurred for some time, the two would be considered 'married'. However, they would only live together once they had a child together or once one of the husband's parents died. Then, the wife would join her husband in his house. For men with many wives, the ones that got older or were no longer favoured by him would be sent to going a convent and become a nun. Harsh, I know...**

**Anyway, if you guys have any questions/comments, feel free to let me know. Hope you enjoyed the first chapter =)**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Asaha is Hao's real name in his first life, before he became an Asakura. In case you guys forget =)**

Chapter 2: First Life- The Meeting

"But Asaha-sama! Why this girl? She's a negative omen, being pursued by demons and-!"

"Because this girl... Is my future wife," Asaha replied, as he carried her inside.

When she finally awoke, she was in a large room, covered in a few thin layers on a futon. The room was dimly lit with hanging lamps. She rubbed her eyes slowly, and tried to sit up. She blinked several times, trying to adjust to the low lighting and absorb her surroundings.

"...Where am I?"

The question was more rhetorical than anything, mostly because she didn't realize there was another person present in the room.

"Don't worry. You're safe here"

She whipped her head around the room, trying to find the source of the voice. Slowly, Asaha emerged from a particularly dark part of the room. He was wearing a long, white kimono. His confident, yet serene, countenance startled her slightly.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Asaha Douji. I am an onmyouji"

"Then, how did I get here...?"

"I brought you here after finding you unconscious"

Her heart began to race. Why was she unconscious... What had happened? She could only vaguely remember...

"Oh... I see... Arigatou"

"How do you feel?"

"Okay... How long have I been here?"

"Three days"

"Three days?"

_Oh no!_ She panicked, _what about Aya? What if I've lost her?_

"If you're worried about your belongings, I brought them in with you"

"Oh, I'm so relieved! Arigatou! I don't know how I can repay you"

"That won't be necessary"

"Well then, domo arigatou gozaimasu. I won't be a nuisance any longer"

She begun to get up, but Asaha abruptly stopped her, moving closer to her.

"No, rest awhile. You're still weak"

"But-"

"You're no trouble at all. I assure you. You can stay here as long as you like"

"You're very kind. But still... I really should be going..."

"Do you have a destination?"

His question caught her off guard. Although he was smiling serenely, she couldn't help but feel that he knew the answer before he even asked the question. She felt like he could see right through her. It was unnerving.

"Well... No, actually...," she admitted.

"Ah, sokka. Why did you come to this place?"

"I-I don't know..."

He turned his back to her now, seeming to talk more to the room at large than to her specifically.

"A young girl like you, traveling such a long distance alone, and without a purpose. Such a story is unheard of in today's day and age"

She was silent. She didn't know how to respond. He continued, nonetheless;

"Although you seem to have a loyal spirit as an ally, your own spirit is wavering. The road a shaman must walk is not an easy one. If you doubt yourself, you will never fully harness your abilities as a shaman"

She stared at him blankly.

"Shaman...?"

_Spirit as an ally...? Aya...? Does that mean he can see her as well? So then, I'm not alone...?_

He turned to her and smiled warmly.

"Of course, you're unfamiliar with the terms I'm using. But no, Amaya-san, you're not alone. A shaman is able to see, interact and even collaborate with spirits. In a sense, a shaman links this world with the spirit world. And shamans exist all over the world"

"How did you know what I was thinking? And how do you know my name?"

He smiled again.

"That's not important right now"

Startled and anxious, she pondered for a moment.

"So... I am a shaman? And you are also a shaman...?"

"Yes"

"How does one become a shaman..?"

"It is not something one becomes. One is born into it"

"So, why...," she trailed off, not finishing her sentence.

"It is an odd case with you, isn't it? Perhaps, your family are indeed shaman, but for fear of societal scorn and rejection, they've ignored and eventually repressed their shamanic abilities. But, you're an exception. It seems you're a gifted shaman, and it's difficult to ignore one's talents. And that's why you're here today, is it not?"

She was silent for a moment, observing him, and then she looked away. She didn't know how he knew all that he did, but somehow she felt that she could trust him.

"I can't pretend to be something I'm not. And I can't pretend to not be something I am. Whether it be correct or incorrect in society's eyes, it is what it is"

She paused, then laughed;

"I'm just relieved I'm not the only one! Then, I would really think there was something wrong with me! And Aya... Can you tell me where she is?"

He moved to the other end of the room, and unfastened a beautifully ornamented brooch from the pile of worn-out robes that lay on the floor. He brought the object to her. Her face lit up at the sight.

"She's not there. I released her. She's mingling with the other spirits residing here with me"

"She's making friends?" She smiled, more to herself than anything. "Now, more than ever, I don't know how I could possibly thank you for all you have done for Aya and I. But I really can't allow myself to be a bother any longer..."

She made to get up again, but his response stopped her.

"Where do you plan on going?"

Again, he was making allusions to her purposeless quest. She didn't really know where she was going. But she hated being a burden on others. So, she had to leave as quickly as possible, because the longer she stayed there, the more she was indebting herself to this mysterious man.

"I don't know...," she trailed off once again. "But it's not important. As long as I have Aya..."

"And if you're pursued by demons again, how do you plan on defending yourself?"

"Demons...?"

"When I found you, you were unconscious, exhausted from an encounter with several demons. Other demons were vigilantly pursuing you as well, however. They seemed to enjoy terrorizing you. Perhaps, because of your innocence. Or perhaps they were amused by your stubborn determination. Regardless, such encounters can mentally exhaust you and, for the untrained shaman, may be fatal"

"You... saved me, didn't you?"

He didn't need to respond for her to know the answer.

"I offer you a place of residence here. If you wish, I will train you as my apprentice"

"Your apprentice...?"

'_What is he thinking? I'm a random girl he's just found off the streets. Why would he want me as an apprentice? I have a strong inclination that he is a very skilled shaman. And he is kind. He knows much more about shamans than I do. He can surely teach me many things. Is it okay for me to stay here with him, though? Why does my heart already trust him before my mind has even been made up? Who is this man, really, and why am I so drawn to him?'_

"Yes. But for now, you should rest. We'll begin in the morning"

And with that, he left the room, sliding the doors closed behind him quietly.

'_I'll make sure you're never alone again'_


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: My plan is to make this a multi-part fic, like I said, so the first let's say 15 or so chapters won't be in too much detail to avoid having a 300 word fanfic XD. So, sorry if they seem a little rushed.**

Chapter 3: First Life- The Training

At first, the training was intense. She had to mentally and physically train her body to endure the harshest of conditions. But, she was determined, and he was calm and patient with her training. She climbed mountains, meditated under freezing cold waterfalls and braved extreme weather conditions in order to train herself to establish a balance with nature. As a shaman, this skill was vital. He stood by her through it all, watching, guiding, counselling. She was a talented shaman so, although difficult, the brutal training did not wear her out but progressively made her stronger. As he watched over her, he secretly praised her will and admired her endurance. He was surprised by her ease at grasping his training. She was a fast learner and already seemed to have a strong connection to nature.

They would begin training early in the morning, as soon as the sun rose, and continue throughout the day until the sun set, pausing only to consume a meal consisting of boiled rice and dried fish. Often, however, Asaha was called away on some business matter and she was forced to train herself. He was sometimes gone for days, even weeks, at a time and, although she had Aya, she often got lonely. Although there were several servants within Asaha's complex, the grounds were so large, and they were often so occupied, that it was rare for her to see, let alone communicate, with any of them, except when she was summoned for meals. Aya, on the other hand, although loyal, seemed restless while she trained, so Amaya would often implore her to go amuse herself with the other spirits.

When Asaha was home, she was always very respectful and formal with him because, although she felt very close to him, she acknowledged their relationship as one of student and sensei, and didn't want to cross any lines or break any customs. He, on the other hand, also treated her with respect and kindness, but enforced their acquaintanceship's formality. After the teachings of the day were finished, Asaha would often have other business to attend to, so she would eat alone, bathe and then go to bed. At times, she couldn't help but feel that she was a burden to him. When these thoughts entered her mind, he would calmly reassure her, stating "It is my wish for you to be here". She still didn't know how he always knew what she was thinking, but she would feel convinced nonetheless. She would often censor her thoughts when he was around, feeling embarrassed at how easily he could read her. This censorship, in turn, made it easier for her to concentrate fully on her training.

A year had passed since she had begun her training under him. She had grown skilled and confident as a shaman. She had trained in Yomi cave, heightening both her furyoku and her senses. She was able to recall spirits from any dimension or world, much like an itako. She was also able to extract or implement spirits into others. But, she was also able to integrate with spirits, and use oversoul to manipulate spirits. When she practiced with Aya, her medium was the very ground beneath her feet. She controlled the texture of the ground and manipulated its height. She was able to create craters or mountains with her oversoul. Likewise, she was also able to create grass, mud, ice or water in place of the current ground. Finally, she could summon earthquakes, avalanches, floods, tsunamis or entice volcanic eruptions. In such little time, her powers had grown enormously. Asaha was silently in awe at her achievements. She still had yet to fully master the five elements, however.

As she was in the process of meditating one evening, she sensed strong shamanic energy approaching her. Asaha had been away for the past two months and had finally returned the previous evening. She opened her eyes, and greeted her visitor,

"Sensei"

He approached her, walking lightly, and sat beside her.

"The sky is very clear. It's a beautiful night to look at the stars, ne?"

"Hai," she said as she tilted her head upwards to observe the sky. It was indeed a beautiful sight, with clumps of stars gathered in certain areas, while other lone stars shone independently.

"Your improvements are very impressive," he continued. "In only a year, you have mastered so much"

She didn't respond, but simply continued gazing at the stars.

"Although you have been very dedicated to your training regime, there's no denying that this extraordinary progress is due to your exceptional shamanic abilities"

Again, there was no answer. He smiled lightly at how effectively she had managed to clear her head of any thoughts.

"Tomorrow morning, I am departing again in order to relieve a village of demons that have been ravaging it"

Instantly, her heart sunk. He had just returned, and already he was leaving?

"I want you to come with me"

She was shocked by his statement. Already, it was strange that he had taken a young woman under him as an apprentice, but now, he actually intended to travel with her. Her heart rate quickened as she reminded herself that he knew everything she was thinking. Impulsively, she agreed.

"We leave tomorrow at dawn," he informed her as he got up to leave. "Good night"

_Why does he want me to accompany him? What does this mean..?_

The next morning, they embarked onto the carriage and departed at dawn. Asaha brought with him a relatively frail-looking cat, which he kept on his lap.

"This is Matamune," he explained.

"How cute!" she exclaimed, as she reached to touch him.

"Sit here," he gestured, pointing towards the seat beside him. "Or you won't be able to reach"

"H-hai," she replied, trying not to appear as nervous as she felt in such close proximity to her sensei.

She placed her delicate hand on the tiny feline and gently stroked him. Automatically, he nuzzled up to her hand and purred. She laughed in delight, already enamoured with the animal. Unbeknownst to her, Asaha silently studied her as she entertained Matamune. The rest of the trip was relatively silent, as he appeared to be serenely immersed in thought, and she casually observed the scenery and petted Matamune. The journey took over a day to complete. As the night rolled around, Matamune had relocated himself onto her lap. Gradually, she slipped into a deep and silent slumber. Her head was tilted to the side and as Asaha once again took the opportunity to study her features, the carriage hit a particularly large bump and her head lightly slipped onto his shoulder, as her body slumped towards him. Matamune, frightened, jumped back onto Asaha's lap. Asaha couldn't remember the last time he had such close human contact with another and instinctively, he lifted his hand and stroked her hair softly.

'_Soon'_, he reassured himself.

In the morning, Asaha was already awake when she awoke. Her eyelids fluttered as she tried to decipher her whereabouts. She looked up, and upon seeing Asaha smiling warmly down at her, his dark brown eyes boring into her, his face merely inches away from hers, she quickly retracted her head, blushing immensely,

"G-gomen nasai!" she exclaimed. "I didn't realize how much I shift in my sleep!"

"Don't worry," he smiled. "The road was bumpy. It couldn't be helped"

She turned away, blushing even more at his calm countenance and trying desperately to censor her thoughts. Thankfully, they just arrived at their destination.

"This is Osorezan," Asaha explained, as they disembarked and he released Matamune to go wander.

The area was almost completely bare. It was a cold and depressing place. The village was scarce and underdeveloped. A weary, middle-aged man greeted them.

"Asaha-same, we are immensely grateful that you came. And this young woman, she must be your w-"

"This is Amaya. She is my apprentice," Asaha cut him off.

"Oh, I see," he replied, still observing her. "I am Haku Oshiro, head of the village here in Osorezan"

He bowed to her. She bowed back.

"Nice to meet you"

_She's very beautiful, _he thought. _Why is such a lovely young girl training under an onmyouji? That's no place for a woman. She should be securely married and bearing children._

Asaha frowned unconsciously at the man's thoughts.

"Quickly, let me lead you to the source of the tragedy," Haku said as he begun to walk towards the outskirts of the village which bordered the base of a large mountain.

At least twenty demons resided there, seeming to find pleasure in spontaneously terrorizing the villagers. Amaya's heart gave a sudden jolt at the sight as she vaguely remembered her previous experience. She began to mentally preparing methods to defeat the demons, despite being so vastly outnumbered, when Asaha put out his arm to stop her from moving any further.

"You are but to observe"

She was stunned for a moment. He brought her all the way here to... observe?

"But-"

Before she could argue, however, he had already approached the demons. Effortlessly, he was able to repel them all, one by one. She stood in awe, watching as he cursed the demons without so much as lifting a weapon, and gracefully evaded their attacks. He seemed to be teleporting and she couldn't tell if he actually was, or his movements were just too fast for her naked eye to register. She quickly realized her sensei was much more powerful than she had ever anticipated. Within sheer moments, all the demons had disappeared.

"A-arigatou, Asaha-sama," Haku stuttered as he looked at him, wide-eyed.

Amaya could just detect the slight frown in Asaha's countenance, and assumed it was due to something he heard from Haku's thoughts. She suppressed a shiver as she digested what she had just seen. Calmly, he walked by her,

"Come," he motioned.

Silently, she followed behind him, with Haku trailing behind, still stupefied.

"P-please, stay the night," Haku offered, sounding hardly convincing. "Y-you may r-rest from your long j-journey. It's the l-least we can do in exchange for our g-gratitude"

"Thank you," Asaha accepted, ignoring the man's terrified stuttering.

'_He's clearly frightened by Sensei's powers. How ungrateful, to beg for assistance and then become suspicious of your own saviour due to your own insecurities and ignorance'_

She looked at Asaha and sighed. Surely, this reaction was common. And must affect him a little every time.

"Y-you may stay here," Haku paused in front of a small building. He slid open the doors, and motioned for them to enter.

"There is only one room," Asaha noted.

"Y-yes w-well, w-we w-were uninformed t-that y-you w-would be-"

"It's fine," Asaha assured, as he thanked him once again.

"G-good night, then," Haku bowed as he scurried out.

"Does this arrangement offend you?" Asaha asked her, as he turned to face her, his expression suddenly very serious.

"N-no, it's fine," she assured.

Within moments, a priestess arrived to prepare a second futon. When she had finished, they changed their clothing behind a screen and went to lay down. Not expecting Asaha to address her, Amaya jumped slightly when he asked, his voice closer than she had thought,

"Are you frightened by me?"

He knew the answer before she even responded, as she mused in her head before responding,

"No"

"Why?"

"Because... I trust you. And... I know you"

"Do you know why humans fear me?"

"Because... They fear what they don't understand"

She paused, and continued

"But they cannot be blamed. Their ignorance lies in their deficiencies. I pity them"

"Interesting," he whispered to himself.

She fell asleep almost instantaneously. Once she had, he quietly got up and went outside. Casually, he strolled about, observing the stars. It was not long before Matamune appeared, coming next to him. Gently, he picked him up and brought him inside with him. He was careful not to wake her as he placed him beside her on the futon.

'_I would hate for you to be lonely tonight'_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: First Life- The Talk

The next morning, once again, he had awoken before her despite her falling asleep before him. She awoke and, hazily, scanned the empty room. Asaha was off on another one of his early morning walks, it seemed. She was about to get up when she realized, startled, that Matamune was curled up beside her. She half-heartedly speculated how he could have gotten in the room, not remembering Asaha ever bringing him in. She concluded to herself that he must have let him in this morning while she slept. Quickly, she changed into her clothes behind the screen and went outside to look for Asaha. Coincidentally, or so she thought, when she walked outside, Asaha was already there, seemingly just returning from his morning stroll. Although it was a little after dusk, the sky seemed abnormally dark and cloudy.

"Shall we go?" he asked nonchalantly.

She nodded, not yet having proper functioning of her voice so soon after waking up. He led the way to the carriage, where Haku was already waiting for them with a few other villagers.

"D-domo arigatou g-gozenmasu, Asaha-sama," he bowed to him. "Amaya-san," he bowed to her.

They both courteously bowed back and embarked.

"Wait, what about-"

Before she could finish her sentence, Matamune leaped into the carriage and onto his master's lap. Asaha smiled.

"I would not leave him," he assured.

He didn't have to assure her, however. She already knew. Reluctantly, her thoughts began to travel back to the night before, and their brief conversation. She wanted to say something to comfort and reassure him. To justify that humans were not inherently bad, just ignorant and powerless and in need of guidance and protection. But she knew that just as the thoughts were forming in her mind, they were being communicated to him. For once, however, she didn't want to block his mind from accessing her own. She didn't even expect a reply or acknowledgement that he comprehended her train of thought, she just wanted him to know.

"Does it bother you?" he asked suddenly.

She didn't need to ask him to elaborate; she already knew what he was referring to.

"At times," she admitted.

"Gomen nasai," his tone was genuine, regretful. "May I ask why?"

"Because, you already know the answer"

Her response had a double meaning, implying that he, literally, already knew the answer she was going to articulate, but also acted as a response to his question, stating that his ability bothered her because he always already knew her answers.

"I like your mind," he mused. "It fascinates me"

She tried not to blush as his softened eyes stared directly into hers from across the carriage. Thankfully, a slight trickle of rain commencing outside saved her from responding, as Asaha's servants called from outside:

"Asaha-sama, it's beginning to rain!"

Sure enough, in less than a few seconds, the light trickling had heightened into a harder and faster falling rain, seeming to get stronger and stronger as the time passed.

"So it is," Asaha noted calmly.

Within moments, the rain stopped. Confused, Amaya stuck her head out of the carriage, incredulous at the sudden cessation of the downpour. Sure enough, the rain was no longer coming down. However, this was only true of the area around the carriage. Clouds still filled the sky, and the rain continued to fall; only it avoided the carriage and the personnel surrounding it. She looked over at Asaha, who seemed unfazed as he sat gently stroking Matamune.

'_He stopped the rain... He has the ability to control nature...?'_

She had to consciously stop her mind from brooding over this observation for the rest of the carriage ride, in order to avoid being overhead by Asaha. She was getting better and better at completely clearing her mind of thought. Again, they sat in almost complete silence as they traveled. She didn't mean to fall asleep so easily, but the exhaustion of traveling greatly affected her and, almost as soon as night fell, she fell asleep, leaning her head against the side of the carriage. Asaha took this time to mentally absorb the structure of her facial features and the details of her appearance. He didn't often get opportunities to stare at her. Her eyes, although now closed, were large and wide, almond-shaped, and hazel, with flecks of gold, that turned green in the sun, with long, full eyelashes. Her nose was small, slender and straight, perfectly aligned with her other features. Her mouth was small and pouty, and her smile was radiant and wide. She had high cheekbones and slightly flushed cheeks. Her skin, although quite pale in the winter, was now lightly tanned from her rigorous outdoor training in the sun. Her hair was long, wavy and copper-coloured with blonde and auburn highlights. Her frame itself was very tiny, yet well-proportioned. Her curves were prominent in contrast to her small frame and she had long, thin legs, despite being relatively short in stature. Matamune purred and nuzzled up to him, disturbing him from his thoughts.

"Yes, she is beautiful, isn't she?" he quietly agreed.

Matamune continued to purr.

"Her family doesn't know she's still alive," he continued. "She's the only heir"

"..."

"She was born into the Asakura family... They're hostile towards the shamanic abilities of their lineage. Her life is in danger if she goes back"

Matamune simply stared at his master.

"Don't worry, I won't let any harm befall her," he assured the small feline as he patted his head.

When they eventually arrived back to Izumo, Asaha gentle shook Amaya to wake her. Her eyes fluttered elegantly and as they focused on the pair of eyes staring back at her, a blush slowly crept up her cheeks. She mumbled an apology and abruptly turned her face, standing in order to exit the carriage. Asaha offered her his hand as she disembarked and, hesitantly, she took it. At the moment of contact, her heart fluttered, and she shook herself to stop her mind from wandering.

"Are you leaving again?" she couldn't help but ask, half-dreading the answer.

She mentally reprimanded herself for the informality of her question.

"No," he said simply. "I'll be staying here with you, for now"

She bit her lip, trying not to explore the implications of his statement. Eager to have some privacy, she hastily excused herself to bathe, allowing herself some time to gather her thoughts. As soon as she was alone, she expressed in her mind the heart-wrenching realization that her bodily sensations had alerted her to long ago:

'_I'm in love with my sensei'_

Shame, regret, embarrassment, fear, all echoed in her mind. She dunked her head into the hot spring, attempting to clarify her thoughts and feelings. Determined, she resolved to never let him know the extent of her devotion towards him. Even if it would destroy her inside, she could never ruin their relationship, or lower his respect for her, by having her feelings infiltrate her thoughts. She exited the hot springs and draped a robe around herself. As she was going to fetch dry clothing, Asaha stopped her at the exit of the hot spring. She blushed immensely at his unannounced visit, suppressing the urge to scold him for his inconsiderate intrusion. Nevertheless, Asaha heard the angry thought, and laughed slightly at her flustered mind.

"I didn't mean to intrude," he apologized.

She nodded, avoiding eye contact, as he continued:

"After your meal, will you join me for a walk?"

The offer was innocent, but sincere.

"Hai," she said softly, as she bowed, excusing herself, and swiftly walked past him, her heart racing.

She ate her rice slowly, trying to calm her anxious nerves. She was scared of being alone with him, scared of putting herself in such a cruel, tempting situation. But she was strong-willed, and would not allow her feelings to alter or disrupt their relationship in any way; she would show no indication of his effect on her.

He stood serenely waiting for her outside. When he sensed her presence beside him, he began to walk silently with her beside him. Absent-mindedly, he strolled around the property, enjoying the company of her presence. Finally, he spoke:

"I want to tell you about my past"

She stared at him. He stopped walking and turned to her.

"I was named after my mother, Asanoha. She was killed by humans. I was left an orphan and shunned as a child for my shamanic abilities"

She stared at him, wide-eyed.

"I befriended a demon, who granted me the curse of Reishi, my ability to read minds. Unfortunately, his soul was lost in the battle to avenge my mother. He, however, opened my mind to harnessing my shamanic potential. He inspired me to train to become an onmyouji"

For a moment, she felt a sudden surge of loneliness. Could this be what he was feeling in his heart?

"My mastery of the five elements allows me to control and manipulate nature at my will. About two years ago, I found Matamune, who was my first and only true companion. That is, until we met..."

He trailed off. Throughout his dialogue, her heart sunk as she absorbed the severity of his past and the difficulty he must have been experiencing in recounting it to her. Her eyes inadvertently swelled with tears threatening to escape. She turned away from him.

"I'm sorry for your difficult past," she whispered.

"You shouldn't apologize," he said softly. "You've dealt with hardship as well"

"Not like yours," she barely murmured, her body shaking slightly at the unconditional sympathy she felt.

The sight of her glistening eyes, flushed face, glimmering hair and trembling body in the moonlight all but captured his breath for a split second before he gently took her hand. She was barely conscious of his action as her mind flooded with distressing images. He pulled her to him, resting her head on his chest, and gently stroking her hair, while the other hand secured around her waist. It was only once she felt his steady heartbeat that she realized the gravity of his actions. She tried to push him away, but her body was weak from the traumatic realization. She hated being so helpless in his grasp but couldn't find the strength to detach herself from the warmth of his body.

"I can't always read your mind," he suddenly admitted.

Before she could respond, he continued:

"Only when you want me to, it seems. Other times it's blocked off completely and my mind is completely at ease in your presence"

She didn't quite understand how what he said could be true, but she didn't feel as though she was in a position to argue, either. His grasp on her tightened slightly, bringing her to her senses.

"Let me go," she finally demanded, struggling against his hold.

"I'm afraid I can't," he said, releasing her.

She backed away and they stared at one another for a moment. The influx of her empathy towards him had moved him. His mind was made up. He couldn't wait any longer. Just as she was about to turn and leave, he announced,

"I'm bringing you back to your family"

She felt as though someone had just dealt a blow to her chest as she processed his words.

"No," she said. "I won't go"

Her head swirled. Her thoughts were so jumbled she could barely make sense of them herself. She couldn't link his former actions to his latter statement. Her thoughts turned almost desperate as she mentally prepared her escape.

"You must"

"I refuse!"

"Won't you cooperate?" he asked, slightly amused.

His amusement strongly affected her. Didn't he understand the gravity of what he was asking her to do? She was angry now.

"I won't! Goodbye," she turned to leave but within a heartbeat he was behind her, his breath on her neck and his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't leave"

"..."

"Stay with me"

She turned around slowly, her body mere inches from his.

"Why are you asking this of me?" she questioned icily.

His hand unconsciously rose to her face, as he began to stroke her cheek, smiling. Her fury only rendered him more drawn to her, as she fully exposed the extent of her feistiness. She cute when she was angry.

"I need their consent"

"Consent...?" Her eyes widened.

"To marry you," he smiled. Her surprised expression was almost as adorable as her rage as the meaning of his words sunk in.

Her heart almost flew out of her chest. She turned away from him again.

"I still refuse," she said stubbornly.

"How can I change your mind?" He asked.

"You can't"

"I only wish to ask out of courtesy. I will have you with or without their consent," he said playfully, once again taking her hand.

She didn't respond, but shrugged away his hold on her.

He sighed and looked up at the night sky.

"If your family disapproves, you'll come back here with me. If not, we'll establish ourselves in your hometown. Nothing between us will change," he assured.

"You forget, I still have a say. I never said I would marry you"

"...Will you?"

"No"

And with that, she departed, leaving him standing alone under the stars.

**A/N: I know I kind of left it at a cliffhanger there hehehehehh. Why did she say no? What is he thinking? You'll just have to wait to find out. Hopefully I'll get the next chapter written and up by tomorrow. **


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: First Life- The Union

That night, neither of them could sleep. She, lost in the worries and shames of her clouded mind and he, sadly debating the motives of his would-be future wife.

'_He's my Sensei_, she thought, _and I disobeyed him. I lost my temper. I even walked away from him! How shameful of me! Now, I cannot stay here any longer, either. I cannot go home, but I cannot stay here either, all because of my selfish, reckless actions. What ever should I do?'_

Aya, sensing her friend's distress, had silently come to comfort her, lying down next to her futon. Amaya sat up in bed, struggling between what she wanted to do, and what she had to do.

'_I can't bear to face him in the morning. But, it would kill me to leave him as well. Oh, why did he have to propose marriage? Doesn't he see that I can't go back there! It would be suicide! They would surely kill him. And me... If they didn't kill me too, they would ostracize me and I'd be even worse off than I am now. No, I can't stay here any longer. I have to leave. For his sake, and my own. I won't even get to say goodbye but... it seems this is my fate... Never saying goodbye, always running away...'_

With this, she got up to dress herself. She put on her kimono, the very clothes Asaha had provided her with, she realized guiltily. Aya all but observed her friend, sadly, knowing her decision was made and there was no turning back now. She willed Aya back into her brooch and took off into the night, careful to be as quiet as possible so as not to wake anyone, and walking as discreetly as possible, so as not to be seen. When she had reached the wall separating Asaha's property from the world outside, she paused. A single tear escaped as she hesitated for a just a moment, before advancing forward. Just as she was about to step foot outside, however,

"Are you leaving me, then?"

It took her a moment to process the words.

"Be wary of my oni, although I doubt that they would hurt you. I wouldn't allow it"

She inhaled swiftly, not daring to turn around and face him.

"Sensei...?"

He moved towards her and lightly placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I am no longer your sensei, Amaya. You may call me by my name"

"Asaha-sama..."

He laughed lightly to himself as he slowly turned her to face him.

"Just Asaha is fine"

She didn't respond as he gazed at her.

"Tell me," he said, "What is it you're thinking right now?"

"You... Always seem to catch me off guard"

She lifted her eyes to meet his.

"Is that so?"

Everything seemed still for a moment as she stood there, debating her next move.

"Will you come sit with me for a moment? There's something you must know before you go"

She obliged, sitting next to him on the cold stone steps leading to the outside world.

"Before I brought you to Osorezan, I had just returned from a long voyage. Do you remember?"

She nodded.

"I had went to Kyoto"

Her heart stopped.

"Your family, the Asakuras, are indeed shamans. But, their closed hearts repel their gift, forcing their mind to block it out. If you wish to save them, I can help you. Then, you will no longer have to run"

"You spoke to them?"

He nodded.

"Did you... tell them about me?"

"They were infuriated at your departure. I assured them you were safe and promised I would do my best to return you to them. But, the circumstances of your absence are indeed suspicious. An unmarried man and woman living under the same quarters for such a long period of time... It would cause far too much of a scandal. In society's standards, surely, we are already considered married, although perhaps our idea of a wedded life differs significantly from others"

He turned to look at her.

"You will be happier when you're settled. Allow me to take you back to Kyoto"

Her mind raced.

'_So this is why he wants to marry me? To prevent dishonour to my family and convert them to the shamanic ways? That's all...? I should have known...'_

The realization numbed her. Although she had no desire to return to her family, it was a sure fact that she had no where else to go. And at this point, her feelings of sadness and helplessness were too overbearing for her to event attempt to disagree with the man she loved.

"I will go," she stated simply, staring straight ahead as she spoke.

Satisfied, he took her hand.

"Come, then," his voice guided her, but her mind was elsewhere.

Her realization was delayed as she half-processed where they were going.

'_We passed by my sleeping quarters...'_

This thought Asaha heard clearly. Slightly worried at the emotionless tone of her observation, he explained:

"As of tonight, we are married. From now on, you will sleep with me"

She didn't respond, but simply allowed him to bring her wherever he pleased. She didn't have the will to object or even argue. And so, she spent the night with him.

...

They departed the next morning at dawn. The carriage ride was even more than abnormally silent. The only sounds were Matamune's irregular purring. She hadn't spoken a word since the previous evening. He was, to say the least, extremely worried. On top of it, he couldn't read her thoughts at all. Her mind was completely blocked. Unsure of what to do because of his lack of experience in dealing with others, let alone others' emotions, he decided to just give her time to adapt to the situation.

Although she hadn't slept the whole night before, she did not sleep during the long journey there, either. She was anxious to see her family's reaction to her. In fact, she was dreading seeing them again. And she was no longer able to trust Asaha. Now, more than ever, she felt very alone. The only companion she felt she could truly trust was Aya. Her countenance seemed to have lost its glow completely, as though the spark of life had been drained out of her.

The journey took a little over a half a day. When they entered Kyoto, her heart rate quickened as she anticipated all the horrible curses that would be thrown at her and all the shameful criticisms she would be bestowed. Realizing what she was getting herself into, she was preparing herself to flee the moment she got off the carriage but Asaha, always seeming to be one step ahead of her, took her hand.

"Don't be afraid. I'm here with you," he reassured.

That hardly reassured her as she went to face her doom. Her family had been forewarned about her coming, but that didn't seem to stop her nerves as she came face to face with them. Their reaction caught her completely off guard. Her father nodded his head to her and her mother smiled warmly and took both of her hands in her own.

"Ahh, it's so good to see you well and happily married, ne?"

She could but force a polite smile in return as she tried to decipher her parents' reactions.

'_Asaha-sama is a powerful and well-known man,_ she realized with a start. _Surely, they're overjoyed with this union'_

"Please, please come in and eat something! You must be tired from your journey," her mother invited, as the servants fetched their belongings. Asaha released Matamune to go frolic in the wild, and entered, followed by Amaya.

She was silent throughout the meal, only speaking when first being spoken to. Not that that was much of a change. But, Asaha knew something was not well with her, and the more her behaviour persisted, the more worried he became.

"You, uh, will be staying the night, won't you, Asaha-sama?" her mother asked hopefully.

Amaya was in utter disgust at how quickly they were already hinting at the idea of child-bearing.

"Please, it's Asaha," he corrected, "And of course, that is only if...Amaya wishes me to..."

He looked at the girl expectantly. The whole room seemed to turn and look at her, anxiously awaiting her reply.

"Since when is anyone concerned with what I wish?"

She couldn't stop the malicious words from escaping her lips as her mother gasped in what appeared to be a mixture of shock and horror.

"Amaya..."

Asaha looked at her, genuinely concerned.

"I apologize," she said, not meeting his gaze. "Of course you should stay the night. We are... Married, after all"

She proceeded to promptly excuse herself, feigning exhaustion, and left to her sleeping quarters. She left as quickly as possible, but not before she could hear her mother uttering a million apologies for her "uncharacteristically deviant" behaviour. It was enough to entice her to cause an earthquake. But she controlled herself, knowing full well Asaha could easily overpower her.

Just as she had slipped into more comfortable garments to sleep in, there was a light knock at the door.

"Come in," she sighed, assuming it was her mother, come to reprimand her on her previous behaviour.

To her mild surprise, Asaha entered, quietly sliding the door closed behind him.

"Am I interrupting?" he questioned.

"Wouldn't you already know?" she countered, slightly exasperated.

"I've told you already, your mind is often inaccessible to me. I'm not sure why that is..." he trailed off.

She didn't reply, but simply sat down cross-legged on her futon.

"Tell me," he asked, "What is it that's bothering you?"

She sighed, perhaps for the 100th time that day.

"I know you don't want to be here. I can't say I particularly enjoy being here myself," he continued, "but I'm doing this for you..."

"Are you?" she exclaimed. "If I don't want to be here and you don't want to be here then, why are we here?"

"Are you unhappy with the arrangements," he questioned, "or with me?"

The room fell silent. She looked away from him, but didn't answer.

"I see..." he said calmly, as he moved towards the door.

"Wait!" she cried, just as he was about to leave. "...Stay"

...

'_Although he's cruel in his toying with my emotions, I can't deny that I still love him. And I am still married to him. All I want is for him to pretend he loves me, too. I can't hope to ever truly claim his heart, but if only I could fake it. If I could just have him close to me sometimes, would that be so selfish? If I could just fool myself, sometimes, into believing that he feels for me the same way I feel for him, then maybe, just maybe, I can keep my sanity and will to live. Is that so wrong?'_

...

'_She resents me for binding her to me against her will. She doesn't care for me in the same way that I care for her... But, she is lonely. And she wants the companionship. I was selfish in implementing my will without her consent. Now, she will be unhappy, because of me. But it's too late. I can't turn back now, it would only render her situation worse if I left her after such a public entrance. All I can do is try to build a better life for her and try to make her happy under the circumstances I tied her too. And perhaps hope that one day she will learn to be as attached to me as I am to her...'_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: The Surprise

The days following their arrival, much talk ensued about the faith of the Asakura family. As the only child, Amaya was burdened with the task of carrying on the Asakura name. However, since she was a woman, she could not become the next successive head of the family after her father passed away. This duty, therefore, was awarded to Asaha.

"When I pass away, you will be the new head of the family," her father had told him. "This is the fate you have been bestowed by marrying into this family"

"I understand," he had replied respectfully. "And with a new title, comes a new identity. From this day on, I will no longer be Asaha Douji, but an Asakura. I accept the responsibility for this family when the day comes that you will no longer be able to fulfill that duty. From then on, I will commit myself fully to the reputation and well-being of this family and from this day on, I will be known as... Asakura Hao"

"Excellent. Very well, indeed. I'm glad you're so willing. What a fine successor you'll be"

They continued to discuss the details of the family identity, but she stopped listening. It sickened her how readily accepting he was to become the new head of her family and throw away his old identity.

'_After all, that's the reason he married me," _she reminded herself bitterly.

Her heart was forever struggling between love and hate, admiration and outrage, respect and disgust... When it came to him, anyway. She retreated to the outside garden to be alone whilst they continued to converse, without anyone even noticing her departure. Aya joined her as she sat amongst the Sakura trees and pondered her fate. She had no intention of abandoning her shaman training, despite now being technically married to her sensei. It would still be an important goal in her life.

'_I haven't trained in a while,'_ she suddenly realized. _'I may not get the chance with my family always around, though. I don't think they would approve. I'll probably have to go back to pretending spirits don't exist... Although, they must be well aware of Asaha's reputation and profession. Therefore, they must know...'_

Her thoughts trailed off as she heard someone approaching from behind her.

"Your senses have improved," he noted, upon seeing her tense up.

He sat down beside her, looking straight ahead.

"Your family's hearts are still closed to the idea of spirituality. But, I'm hoping with time, we will be able to change their minds. Although they know of my profession, they are not as readily accepting of it as they may seem. But, as you guessed, they know of my reputation and are secretly hoping I will be the key to the flourishment of the Asakura family"

"As I thought...," she said evenly. "Just now, Asa-, I mean, Hao, was it? Just now, you read my thoughts, didn't you?"

"Hmm, yes, I did. But it appears that I can only decipher your thoughts when you're not consciously blocking them. I believe it's an ability you've developed through your training as a shaman. You use a fragment of your furyoku to create an impenetrable barrier in your mind, so that its contents cannot be accessed so long as you maintain that barrier. Ingenious, really. And all done without your conscious awareness, I presume"

He smiled good-naturedly.

"My furyoku creates a barrier... Unconsciously?"

She mused on that thought for a moment.

"Of course, if you wish, I will still train you as a shaman"

He turned his face to her now, waiting for her response.

"I would like that"

She looked down, not wanting to meet his eyes.

"Good, I'm pleased"

He paused a moment before continuing, frowning slightly as he did.

"But unfortunately, the continuation of your training will have to be put on hold for a short period of time. I'm returning to Izumo tomorrow. I still have some business to take care of there"

She had almost completely forgotten that he still had duties as an onmyouji in the midst of all the bustle of the past couple of days.

"Ah, sokka... How long will you be gone?"

"It has not yet been determined"

They fell silent. A strange feeling of dread washed over her as she realized she would be stuck alone with her family, once again, just like during her childhood. They were both forced out of their reveries by a call announcing the serving of the next meal. He offered her his hand to get up and, hesitantly, she took it. He didn't let go of it right away, though, and when he did, it was gradual, as though he was reluctant to. She ignored it, however, learning long ago not to so foolishly convince herself of false affections.

As night fell, she couldn't help but feel sad, almost abandoned. She scorned herself for this weakness and prayed for courage to erase these feelings of dependency. She was gazing outside at the darkening sky, lost in indistinguishable worry, when she felt him come up behind her and gently place a hand on her shoulder. They stayed like that for a long time, what felt like hours when it was probably only mere seconds.

"Calm your mind," he said soothingly. "Don't allow yourself to be overcome with worry. You have nothing to fear"

She wasn't sure what came over her. Perhaps it was the fear of being alone, or maybe the dread of dealing with her family the next couple of days. Or, just maybe, it was the uncontrollable anguish that washed over her at the very thought of being separated from him or, even worse, losing him. She knew it was unreasonable because his feelings did not match her own at all. And she knew she had been separated from him in the past. But never then had she been so close to him as she was now. Never then was she so cruelly teased and taunted by wishful thoughts of his affections. And now, it was too late. She had him there with her, and she just wanted to keep him there as long as possible.

She turned to face him, her eyes full of emotion as she looked up at him. His eyes seemed full of longing and warmth, but she attributed it to a trick of the moonlight. They were merely inches apart as he brought his hand up to her face, and gently stroked it. Unable to restrain herself in the midst of all her emotions, she instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck. He took this as a sign, placing his other arm securely around her waist and drawing her even closer to him. In one slow motion, their lips were connected. It was an innocent kiss at first, but progressed into a long and steady embrace. When they finally detached, she buried her face into his chest, not wanting to look at him for fear that he would notice how weak she had become and how flushed her face now was.

He held her in his arms like that for a long time, just content with her body in his grasp. Then gracefully, he lifted her up, bride-style. She hardly registered what was happening, as one minute her feet were solidly on the ground, and the next she had been whisked into the air by invisible forces. She looked up at him, her eyes wide, as she bit her lip nervously. He looked down at her lovingly as he carefully placed her onto the futon. His form was over her now, stroking her face lightly and brushing the hair out of her face. She hated being stared at the way he was staring at her now, studying her every feature, so she tried to turn to the side, but he stopped her. Slowly, he descended on her. No words were necessary that night.

He was gone before she awoke the next morning. He caressed her cheek lightly and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek before he left, not wanting to wake her. She tried to stay asleep as long as possible; anticipating the unpleasant circumstances of the household now that he was gone. But, eventually, a servant was sent to rouse her. For some reason, she still felt exhausted even though it was already afternoon when she finally got up. She felt weak and dizzy. Assuming her weakness was due to lack of food, she politely requested to be brought something to eat, not feeling strong enough to leave the room in her current condition.

Not long after, she was brought grilled fish and boiled rice. She ate eagerly, but a sudden wave of nausea stopped her from continuing. All at once, she felt dizzy, weak and nauseous. She stumbled to the futon and lay down, closing her eyes, her hand on her forehead. A servant came to reclaim her dish, and upon seeing her lying sickly on the futon, asked her what her symptoms were.

"I'm tired, weak, dizzy and nauseated," she whispered.

"I'll call for medical treatment as soon as possible," the servant replied urgently.

"No need," came a voice from behind her. It was Amaya's mother.

"The symptoms are normal, for she is with child," she said smugly.

If Amaya had not felt ill before, this news surely would have rendered her immobile.

"How can you be so sure," Amaya faintly asked, still in shock.

"I am your mother, Amaya. I know"

And with that, she gave the servants further instructions on her care, and left.

After this discovery, Amaya was forced to relax day after day. Her family would not allow her to exert herself. She knew the lineage of the family rested in her womb, but she grew restless of being so cautiously treated and so greatly restricted. She didn't even know if word had been sent to her husband of the news and she was too afraid to ask.

As the time slowly drifted by, she missed him more and more and her longing for his return grew stronger with every passing day. Many weeks had passed, and still he had not returned. She was gazing down at her stomach one morning, wondering if it was becoming apparent that she was pregnant, when a servant came to deliver the shocking news. Her father had passed away in his sleep last night.

She was shocked and, although they had never gotten along well, she was surprised to find herself very upset and regretful. She had immense respect for her father, despite their differences, and his passing was indeed a tragedy. The next couple of days were dedicated to various death rites and rituals in his honour. Her mother was strongly affected by the death, although she tried not to show it. Amaya wanted desperately to comfort her somehow, but knew not how.

She was thankful that at least this piece of news she knew would be sent to Hao, especially since he was now responsible for the family. Somehow she just knew his return would somehow ameliorate the situation and she anticipated it desperately.

About a week after her father's death, she lay awake in the middle of the night, thoughts flooding her mind. She had just awoken from a particularly vivid dream depicting Hao's return to her. Frustrated and emotional, she mentally debated the prolongment of his absence.

'_Maybe he just doesn't care. Or maybe he's found another wife and is too preoccupied with her,'_ she thought drearily. _'Or maybe he's just not coming back at all'_

She tormented herself with these thoughts, rousing herself to wakefulness, until suddenly, she heard a knock on the door. Her heart jumped as she sat up. Somehow she just knew... It was _him_.

The door slid open and a figure entered, sliding it closed behind him. She could only make out his outline as he approached her.

"Hao...," she breathed, unable to contain her excitement.

Her vision struggled to focus on the details of his appearance, trying desperately to distinguish his features in the almost pitch-black lighting of the room, as he kneeled next to her, placing one hand behind her neck, guiding her towards him, and the other hand firmly on her leg.

"No," she said as realization suddenly hit her. She resisted his direction, trying to move herself backwards.

Just then the doors urgently threw open, as did a burst of wind. And the room fell silent.

**A/N: In case there's any confusion, I do realize pregnancy signs don't occur over night but the, uh, night they "spent" together wasn't the first time. It was subtly hinted at in the other chapters. I just didn't want to go into too much detail and have to up the rating of this fic XD The reason I elaborated more on this night is because it was the first time they actually kissed and such. Hence, it was the first time that they both thought it might have meant something to the other. And it was the day before Hao left so... had to make it special.**

**Also thank you to my reviewer and readers =) I'm glad you like the story and I hope I can keep you interested for the whole of it.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: A bit of a filler chapter...**

Chapter 7: First Life- The Homecoming

In an instant, she was free from his hold. The thump of a fallen body echoed mere inches from her. The room began to spin as she felt nausea overcome her again. She struggled to maintain conscious attention as she scanned the room for the new presence. There was no mistaking it this time. Just as the doors flung open, she caught a glimpse: long, flowing hair, moving in the gust of wind that seemed to enter the room, a long, white robe, and an expression of pure, ruthless anger. She had never seen his soft eyes so cold, his expression so serious.

Her heart raced as she realized the implications of the scene: A random man visiting her in the middle of the night while she was supposed to be sleeping. The anxiety of the situation nearly caused her to faint on the spot. Then, all at once, a wave of relief washed over her as Hao appeared beside her and gently took her in his arms, cradling her body, now shaking slightly and coated in a thin layer of sweat.

"It's okay," he said soothingly. "I heard your thoughts"

She was so confused, so upset, so flustered. A million thoughts popped into her mind, none of which she even bothered suppressing. She wanted to yell at him for being gone so long, to cry at his dramatic entry, to scream at the man who entered her sleeping quarters impersonating him, to shriek at the potentially dead man so close to her. He made no attempt to respond to any of her thoughts as they also flooded into his mind. Her burdens and stresses, all at once, became his burdens and stresses. Then, without further notice, she blurted out:

"I'm pregnant"

He didn't respond, but just held her closer. In truth, he had known all along. He had wanted to come back quickly, but it was impossible. The business he had to attend to was of dire importance.

When some time has surpassed, she wriggled out of his hold, frightened and curious but determined to investigate the motionless body. Upon closer observation, what she saw made her gasp.

"Eiro-sama!"

"He's dead," Hao said simply.

She looked at him wide-eyed and, struggling to lift herself to her feet, backed away slowly.

"No..."

She refused to believe it. She refused to believe he was dead. She refused to believe she had married a murderer, even if he was trying to rape her. Her eyes shone with disappointment, disbelief, and worst of all, fear. He couldn't stand to have her look at him in that way. He moved towards her.

"Don't," she commanded, her voice wavering.

He looked at her questioningly, confused by her reaction. He had saved her, hadn't he? That man was a trespasser whose intentions were clearly to defile his wife. He grew enraged at the mere memory of the man's thoughts concerning his wife.

"Did you think I would let him violate you?"

His tone was harsh, unsympathetic. He had never spoken to her in that manner before. Her fear was beginning to rise exponentially. He turned to the limp form on the floor.

"Any man who dares to attempt such a bold action should be ready to suffer the appropriate consequences. I refuse to even shelter the corpse of such an individual"

His gestures were irregular for a moment and she released he must be performing some type of curse. The body seemed to gradually decompose and within moments, it had completely vanished. She continued to stare at him in shock-induced numbness. But, her desperate, frightened thoughts only angered him more.

"You fear me"

His statement alarmed her. It was cold, cruel, emotionless. She couldn't bring herself to answer, although her thoughts surely gave it away. She wanted to fall to the floor and cry, but her shock impaired her from moving. The father of her unborn child, her husband... He was not the man she thought he was.

"Humans plague the Earth, infecting one another with their ignorant, selfish deeds. They can't be permitted to carry on this way"

Before she could respond, or even try to argue, she felt a sharp stabbing pain shoot through her abdomen. She couldn't speak, she couldn't even breathe. The pain was immobilizing. She felt her legs give out beneath her. The only thought she could muster was,

'_The baby...'_

Before she could hit the floor, Hao had caught her. Within mere milliseconds, he had her secured in his arms. His countenance was surprisingly calm.

'_Intense cramping so early isn't normal,'_ he thought.

He lay her down. Her vision was blurred from the pain. She was starting to lose consciousness. In fact, she wanted to lose consciousness so she wouldn't have to suffer from the immense pain any longer. Just as she was slipping away, she felt his hands gently apply pressure on her lower stomach. Suddenly, the pain seemed to subside. Within moments, it was gone completely. She lifted herself slowly and observed him questioningly.

"How did you...?"

"..."

He wasn't looking at her. He seemed to be staring absently at some distant vantage point.

"You should rest"

He went to leave the room.

"Please! Tell me..."

There was a short silence where neither moved. She stared at his retreating form.

"You were experiencing stomach muscle contractions, most likely caused by stress. I simply retracted the muscles"

He paused.

"You should try not to be so anxious. It may be harmful to the child"

And he left.

She didn't sleep much that night, absorbed in her troubling thoughts. She knew she should try to relax, but she was finding it difficult. Hao... Something about him was different. She couldn't quite place it, but somehow he had changed during his journey. Even his mannerisms were more...cold. She was still unsure how he had managed to alleviate her stomach pains but for now she didn't let it preoccupy her. She was much more concerned with his newly expressed outlook. His disgust for humans... it was severe. It worried her. Even more so was the definite fact that he had killed a man. Even if he was technically a trespasser and an attempted sex offender, he was still a very powerful man. His murder would surely not go without consequence.

The days drifted by. She barely saw him during the day. He was always off somewhere doing something, often with Matamune. His only instructions for her were to rest. When night fell, he would often go and stay with her. Although something had changed between them, she still looked forward to his nightly visits. She knew deep down in her heart she still loved him and secretly, she hoped she could save him before he became too immersed in his dark thoughts. Eiro's murder was never again mentioned between them. Sometime later, though, it came up.

She had just woken up and happened to walk into a conversation between Hao and her mother. Her mother was telling him how Eiro had gone missing some time ago, and there was still debate as to his whereabouts and why he had decided to simply disappear.

"He's dead," Hao said, without emotion.

Amaya stood shocked. She prayed that he wouldn't say anymore but her mother pressed the issue.

"What would induce you to draw such a conclusion?"

"I killed him," he replied simply.

Her heart stopped. She looked from him to her mother. Her mother's face lost its colour. It took her a moment to reply.

"I don't understand. Why would you..."

"He tried to sexually assault me," Amaya said quietly.

"When?"

"The night of my return"

"Why-why did no one tell me..?"

"It was unnecessary"

"... The king should be informed!"

"Hmmm? Oh, yes. You may inform him if you wish"

"Perhaps it's better if I don't..." she realized, digesting the gravity of the situation. She didn't want the murder of such a powerful man to be linked to her family. "And the body...?"

"There is none"

It was the first time she had ever seen her mother look so frightened.

Ever since that day, her mother was wary of him. Even the servants were wary of him. It seemed everyone feared him, even more so than before. Nevertheless, the Asakura family did flourish. Because of Hao's reputation, shamans gained credibility. Their skills and talents become revered. In a short period of time, the Asakura family had become one of the most influential families in all of Japan. Amaya's relatives all began to embrace their shamanic abilities, even implement them, in society. Even her mother gained the ability to see spirits.

Amaya hoped that the success of the Asakura family would satisfy Hao and incline him to abandon his negative thoughts. Nevertheless, her wishes seemed to be in vain, as he seemed to fall deeper and deeper into pessimism. She wanted desperately to save him, but was scared to push him even further away. So, she simply watched in tormenting defeat as he seemed to slip further and further away from sanity as the termination of her pregnancy loomed closer and closer.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N : Thank you to my reviewers. You made my day!**

Chapter 8: First Life- The Baby

270 days...Exactly. That's how long it had been since she had found out about her pregnancy. Add about 7-14 days to compensate for the time elapsed since the actual conception... And suddenly her nerves took over. She was due any day now.

Throughout her pregnancy, her mother had submitted her to all the appropriate rituals and customs, in hopes of ensuring a successful child birth. But, by this time, she wasn't so worried about her own health and safety but more so for that of her child. And, she had to admit, Hao. He didn't seem to have any interest in obtaining other wives or concubines, but she could never be too sure with him. Nevertheless, if she lost this child, surely he would be much more inclined to such ideas. After all, what use is a wife who can't produce a child?

Up until the beginning of her pregnancy, she had been somewhat naive and irrational in her reckless and unchecked affections for her husband...And far too highly-esteeming of her duties and rights as his wife. But, her mother had begun to take her out in public society, as the young, pregnant wife of an extremely powerful and revered man. And suddenly, she had begun to truly understand the implications of her duty, not only to her husband, but also to society. Women were powerless. And she was a woman. The sole purpose of a woman's life was to play the role of perfect, silent, obedient, faithful, respectful, child-bearing wife.

She had been far too bold with her husband in the past. Seeing the obedient wives of other men with not even half the status of her husband humbled her. She realized if she wanted to keep her marriage secured and keep him close to her, if at least only sometimes, she could no longer behave so passionately. She had to become perfectly accommodating to his every whim and, even more importantly, she had to successfully bear his offspring. She had to assume the role of a shy, powerless and passive young wife, the complete opposite of her true character.

He rarely traveled far, or went long distances, during the period of her pregnancy. And, if it was imperative that he leave, he would leave Matamune with her, a gesture which would otherwise be uncharacteristic. She didn't question it, however. She vowed to never question him again.

Some days, he was content in her company. He would sit with her, and they would converse lightly. Or, he would continue his teachings of the five elements and she would assume the role of attentive student. On those days, he displayed such affection, such warmth, such kindness towards her that she couldn't help but forget the dark side of him she had once witnessed. He treated her so carefully and tenderly, as if she were so fragile she may shatter at a touch too harsh in intensity. His soul would seem at peace. He would caress her softly or hold her cautiously, causing her to blush every time, and she, too, would feel at ease.

But, alas, those days were not as common as the days where his mind was clouded in negative broodings, his countenance dark and dreary. His attention would be limited, if existent at all. Unreceptive, gloomy and sinister, she would silently witness the gradual corruption and poisoning of his mind and thoughts with exceeding misery. But, she had no influence in such a society and in such a marriage. So, it seemed, only he could save himself. Still, it ate of her heart more than anything, not just to behold his corruption, but to observe the torment and anguish of his mental conflictions. She would have given her life to ease his pain.

She had been sitting in the garden, staring down at her extremely protruding stomach, musing on the particulars of her pregnancy and the certain proximity of her child's birth. Her frame still remained tiny, the only exception being her stomach. She worried that perhaps her body wasn't well-endowed to give birth. Her thoughts steadily increased her anxiety.

"You are nervous"

She looked up. She had been so immersed in her thoughts she hadn't even sensed him approaching.

"Hai," she admitted.

"Don't worry. Everything will be fine"

"Arigatou..."

Unexpectedly, he gently placed his hands on the bulge that was her stomach. She looked up at him. He was smiling.

"She will be beautiful, just like her mother"

"She..?"

"Hm? Oh, yes. It's a girl"

'_How did he..?'_

"Don't seem so surprised by me, Amaya. You are my wife, not a stranger"

"Hai..." she looked away.

He removed his hands from her stomach and, slowly taking her chin, brought her to look at him.

"I don't want you to fear me, Amaya"

"I-I don't," she stammered.

"Why are you so hesitant with me?"

"I don't know," she almost whispered.

"If you won't tell me, at least allow me access to your thoughts," he was only half-serious, but she stiffened.

Was that a genuine request? She couldn't not abide by his will. But, how embarrassing to reveal all her thoughts to him! She turned crimson just imagining his reaction.

"You're blushing," he said lightly.

"G-gomen nasai...I don't think I can do that"

"I didn't expect you would"

He wasn't cross. His tone was almost playful. She exhaled slowly. But, his hand had returned to her chin, turning her gaze once again towards him. He stared at her fixedly, suddenly serious.

"I want you to love me, Amaya"

Her heart stopped. Her oxygen flow stopped. She forgot how to breathe. His eyes were hard, almost searching as he stared into hers. Even if she could somehow force her mind to start functioning again, she doubted she would have been able to voice an audible response.

"Do you?"

His stare become more intent as his eyes seemed to bore into her soul. His question was straight, to the point. Her heart beat was now so accelerated she feared it would stop from over-exhaustion. She still couldn't seem to find the ability to speak, however.

"...I-"

"I apologize," he said, suddenly releasing his hold on her chin and standing up. "I shouldn't have been so forward"

He paused.

"Amaya, after the birth of our child, I must leave you"

She felt herself start to panic. He was going to leave her after all!

"I don't like to be away from you, but there is a goal I must accomplish"

'_Goal...?'_

He heard her thought.

"Yes. I've been informed of an event solely restricted to shamans. The event takes the form of a tournament, where shamans from around the world gather to participate. The winner obtains the greatest power possible, merging with the creator of all things to become an omnipresent and omnipotent being. This man will have the ability to achieve, create, or accomplish anything"

She stared at him.

"For what purpose...?"

"..."

"Why do you desire this power so badly?"

"... The humans are a plague on the Earth's surface. You, yourself, have witnessed countless times their unredeemable faults. They can't be allowed to destroy this world. They must be exterminated"

"Your goal... Is to exterminate all humans...?"

"My vision has no place for humans. I will create a shaman-only kingdom, where I will rule with you by my side. Our daughter should be raised in a disease-free world"

"No..."

Her breathing became heavy. She felt hysteria taking over. It had happened. And its effects were worse than she could ever have anticipated. He couldn't be saved. Stress, anxiety, fear, desperation all flooded through her. She was so overwhelmed by despair, she felt herself begin to cry. She stood up, using the bench as support. He looked at her devastated form sadly.

"...Please, don't..."

"Amaya..."

She braced herself against a tree as her heavy breathing steadily increased. She felt herself beginning to contract. A huge wave of pain washed over her. In a heartbeat, Hao had gathered her in his arms.

"...My water... broke," she said weakly as a second wave of contractions hit her.

Suddenly she was in a room, being placed on a futon.

'_What just happened..?'_

The room was spinning. She felt herself hovering between consciousness and unconsciousness, but she knew she had to stay strong, for the child's sake. Her body began to shake as the convulsions continued. Hao held one of her hands gently.

Her severe contractions lasted about an hour. Mentally and physically, she was exhausted. But, the baby was still inside her and she needed to deliver it.

"I feel her..."

By this time, Amaya's mother was in the room, accompanied by a birth attendant. Hao was softly stroking her hair. She was sweating from the immense strain. But, she felt the baby already on its way out. So, she mustered up her strength and pushed as hard as she could. It felt like years, but really it had only been a few hours. She had drunk about a gallon of water. Her body was completely coated in sweat. But, finally, she had given birth... to a beautiful baby girl.

After the umbilical cord was severed, she got to hold her baby for the first time. And it was then that she knew that she was meant to be a mother and that she would never love anything as much as she loved the infant she now held in her arms.

The exhaustion was taking over her, however and soon, Hao had taken the child from her, enforcing the necessity of her sleep. So, her mother, the birth attendant, and the other servants left the room, bringing the child with them, leaving her alone with him. Her vision was hardly alert at the moment, so she could only somewhat register the details of his form over her.

"Hao..."

He still held her hand.

"Yes, I'm here. Shh, don't speak"

"My baby..."

"Amaya, you must rest"

"No, I want to see her"

"You're too stubborn"

"... I won't let you take her from me"

"I have no intention of going anywhere without you"

This seemed to satisfy her. Slowly, her eyes began to droop shut. Then, suddenly, she jerked her head up and sat up in bed. Hao looked at her, startled, and squeezed her hand lightly.

"What is it?"

But she was already in the process of standing up.

"Something's wrong," she said, voice uneven, as she slipped her hand out of his grasp.

**A/N: First part of the fanfic is almost over. Yay! **


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Had to up the rating a bit because I made some breastfeeding references... Don't know if that inappropriate or not but just to be on the safe side =)**

Chapter 9: First Life- The Goodbye

He was quite startled by her sudden burst of energy. Half a second ago, she was barely conscious, and now, all of a sudden, she was almost sprinting to the door.

"Amaya!"

But she was already gone. Her behaviour was far too frantic to be dismissed. And she was far too weak to be moving about the way she was. If she continued to exert herself the way she was, she would be putting her very life in jeopardy...

In a mere flash, he was blocking her path.

"How..?"

But he had already took hold of her.

"I'm sorry, Amaya but your actions are detrimental to your health. You must rest"

"Bastard!" she exclaimed, now hysterical. "... Why? Why won't you just let me be...?"

She was clearly not in a normal state of mind but her bitter tone caught him off guard. Was this really what she thought? Did she... hate him? Affected by her words, he released his grip on her, scared to cause her more grief. She nearly passed out, her vision was so blurred and her body so weak. But, somehow, she managed to slide open the door Hao had previously been blocking.

"...My baby!"

Her mother and the birth attendant looked up, startled. They were in the process of bathing the small child.

"Amaya! What are you doing? Go and rest!"

"Not...without... my... baby..."

She leaned herself against the wall for support, her vision so heavily affected she could barely make out her surroundings.

"She's fine, Amaya! Now, please, go lie down"

"No..."

"How dare you be so impertinent, Amaya! I am still your mother!"

She moved towards her.

"Stop"

"H-Hao-sama..!"

"Hmmm, she's become far too excited..."

He placed a hand delicately on Amaya's shoulder, mostly to help her maintain her balance.

"A young mother with such dedication should surely be permitted the company of her first newborn child, ne?"

She hesitated, looking from the birth attendant, to her barely-conscious daughter, back to Hao. Finally, she slowly gave up the wailing child. He took the tiny bundle in his arms. Amaya was about to protest but,

"You're far too weak," he reasoned.

She couldn't argue, mostly because she realized he was probably right. In an instant, she was back in the original room she had given birth.

'_How does he keep...?'_

"Lie down," he instructed. "Then you can hold her"

She obliged, nearly collapsing onto the futon. Carefully, he placed the tiny infant in her arms. She was still crying, but her screams seemed to subside as her mother cradled her gently.

"We still haven't given her a name," Hao noted softly.

"...Asanoha... After your mother..." Her voice was so weak he barely heard her, even though the baby's cries had ceased. But he smiled nonetheless.

"If that is what you wish. Now please, sleep"

'_I can't sleep. I need to protect her'_

"Nothing will happen to her. I'm here"

"...You..."

"Yes. It appears you're too weak to block them"

She blushed. What else did he hear...?

"Just enough to prevent you from executing your paranoid, delusional accusations"

"...Oh..."

And with that, she slipped out of consciousness, not really registering what he had said; the baby nestled peacefully in her arms.

'_Rest well. You'll need your strength when you awake. I'm afraid we have to leave here as soon as possible. If we stay much longer, both of you will be in grave danger"_

He sighed, thinking back on the events of several minutes ago.

'_You're far too intuitive for your own good, Amaya" _

He spent that night in close proximity to his wife and daughter, ensuring himself that they were indeed safe. But, the following morning, he was gone before she awoke. The baby was still bundled safely in her arms. As she stirred, the baby began to cry.

"Shhh," she soothed, looking down at the little infant and rocking it gently. "What a beautiful little daughter I have given birth to... Oh, I already love you more than I could possibly ever love anything else. You're already the light of my world, my little angel. Are you hungry, my love?"

The child continued to wail incessantly. She went to exit the room with the child, still slightly weak and shaky from the events of the previous night, and was surprised to find Hao's Shikigami guarding the entrance. A little unnerved, she decided not to leave just yet. She looked down at her still crying child.

"Hmmmm, yes I'm sure you must be hungry, you poor thing"

Slowly, she disrobed her upper body, exposing the child to her bare skin. Instinctively, the child found its way to its mother's breast and began to suck. Her breasts were extremely swollen. It felt strange at fist but, gradually, it began to feel natural and the contact only strengthened her bond with the child. After 10 minutes or so, she gently redirected the child to the other breast.

She sat, gently holding the child, as it fed off of her milk. She was so immersed in watching the delicate actions of her infant, she almost didn't notice the door slide closed. Startled, she looked up. Realizing who it was, she blushed immensely.

"H-Hao..."

Her face was a crimson red as she turned her body to shield it from his view, careful to turn her face and avoid direct eye contact. He approached her slowly, and bending down to her level, smiled, cupping her chin with his hand and redirected the orientation of her gaze to meet his. Her face burned red.

"You're beautiful"

He gently grasped the back of her head with his other hand and, careful to avoid the child, pulled her into a soft kiss, of which she was too startled to respond. He pulled away, stroked her cheek gently, and turned to leave. She quickly regained her composure.

"Yesterday... You... How did you...?"

"Ah, I was wondering when you would ask"

She couldn't see his expression, but the tone of his voice was light.

"You can..."

"Teleport, yes"

There was a pause.

"And about..."

"My Shikigami?" He offered.

'_How...?'_

"You're still not blocking your thoughts, Amaya"

She blushed. Why was she still not blocking them? Surely, she had regained enough strength by now!

"Remember, the ability is unconscious. It doesn't matter if you consciously want to block your mind. Your unconscious desires are the determining factor"

"..."

"The Shikigami are a precaution," he turned to her, suddenly very serious. "Which reminds me, we leave at dawn"

"...Where?"

He turned back towards the door.

"The Shaman Fight"

And he left the room. She panicked. She couldn't bring her precious child into such a warlike environment. She couldn't raise her in such a place. She couldn't allow him to destroy all humans. She couldn't allow him to participate. She held her child closer to her as it finished its feeding and fell asleep. She didn't know what to do. She was torn. But, she knew this time would come... Ever since he told her the day before.

'_I have to do what's best for my daughter,'_ she resolved. _'Even if it hurts me, I must sacrifice for her. So that she may have a better future. She mustn't be exposed to such horrendous events. And she mustn't be exposed to such death. I must flee with her, before it's too late and he comes back and stops me'_

She didn't bother packing anything. She lay her daughter down on the futon carefully, quickly dressed herself, and left the room, child in arms. Her mother stopped her outside the door.

"M-mother..!"

"The Shikigami wouldn't let me enter," she said bitterly, glaring at the two guards on either side of the entrance.

"W-what are you doing..?" She asked cautiously.

"I can ask you the same question. Where are you rushing off to with your newborn child in such a hurry?" Her tone was sceptical, accusatory and her eyes narrowed at her.

"I-uh... Well, the truth is..."

She couldn't find the words to lie. She couldn't even find the words to tell the truth. She burst into tears, sobbing as she held her baby closer. Her mother, taken aback for a moment, gestured for Amaya to follow her.

"Come," she said.

She guided her to the sitting area and motioned for her to sit on the tatami mat.

"Explain"

Her words were simple, direct, to the point. Amaya, scared as she was, couldn't bring herself to unveil the whole truth to her mother.

"...H-Hao... I... He... He's not well...And... I fear... For Asanoha..."

"Asanoha ...? Her name is...?"

She nodded.

"I see. What do you plan on doing?"

"I-I don't know..."

"You were going to run away, weren't you?"

"I- I have to protect my daughter!"

"...Yes. So, go"

"..."

"What is it? Why are you hesitating?"

"I...What about... Hao?"

"You're still concerned with his well being?"

"..."

"Amaya, he wants to exterminate the human race"

"How- How did you know that...?"

"I overheard your conversation"

There was a pause.

"Still... He didn't always think that way..."

"Anyone with as much power as him... Is bound to start thinking such thoughts eventually... It's inevitable"

"I- I don't believe that he is a bad person!"

She was silent for a moment.

"... You love him, don't you?"

"..."

"Oh, Amaya! How foolish!"

She bowed her head, ashamed. She knew she was foolish. She had been foolish from the very beginning.

"You must leave, now, at once. Before he can stop you. If you truly wish to protect your daughter, this is the only way"

She nodded. Her mother was right. Her decision was made. She knew what she had to do.

"You're still weak from childbirth. Will you be okay to travel?"

"Hai"

"Good. There is an abandoned house some way's off the main road to town. Do you know what I'm talking about?"

She nodded.

"Go and seek shelter there. I'll meet you there soon. I have some business to take care of first. We'll plan your escape from there"

She turned to leave.

"Perhaps you should leave the child with me. It may be too strenuous for you to walk the whole length of the way with her. I would allow you to take the carriage, but it would seem too suspicious..."

"No, we'll be fine. I have Aya. She can take us there"

She summoned the spirit and instantly, she was before her.

"I'll wait for you, mother"

And with that, she departed. She materialized Aya so that she could travel with Asanoha on her back. As she was leaving the property, something nudged her leg. She looked down.

"Matamune..."

Her eyes softened. She tried to stop herself from tearing up. She bent down and gently stroked the animal.

"I'm sorry," she said gently and with that, she left.

She was cautious not to travel directly on the main road, so as not to be detected. Although the route was longer, it was also safer. They arrived in a few short hours, just as night was falling.

She dispelled Aya, exhausted from the materialization and excess furyoku exertion so soon after giving birth. She slid open the doors to the abandoned barn and...

...

Darkness. That's all she saw. That's all she could remember. Gradually, hesitantly, she tried to open her eyes. Her head was pounding, her body numb. Her eyesight was blurred. She was seeing double. Where was she? She looked around, trying desperately to focus on her surroundings. Eventually, her eyesight began to return and she was able to make-out her environment.

"Ah, finally you're awake"

"M-mother...? W-where am I? What happened?"

"Ah, whatever did I do to deserve such a stubborn daughter..?"

Laughter. There was laughter. She whipped her head around the room.

"U-uncle...? Cousin? Grandfather? What... What's going on?" She demanded, as she glanced around the room, realizing the majority of her family was present.

More laughter and head shaking.

"W-where's Asanoha?" She demanded, standing up, wobbling slightly.

"She's fine... For now"

She spotted her across the room, in her aunt's arms.

"Give her to me!"

"Tsk tsk, such disobedience"

They all laughed, again.

"What exactly do you want?" Each word dripped venom.

"Don't act so defensive, Amaya. You're not our target"

Realization suddenly hit.

"Hao..."

Tears welled up in her eyes.

"You- how could you use your own granddaughter as bait to lure him here?" She demanded, her tone harsh and accusatory.

"My granddaughter?" She asked, slightly amused. "No, no, you have it all wrong. My granddaughter is not the one who will lure him here. You are. It has always been you"

Amaya froze.

"...Eros-sama... It was you..."

"Of course, that didn't go as planned. It seems your husband is even more intuitive than expected. But, yes, Eiro-sama was wild with envy after hearing of your return and your new husband. I told him of his departure and encouraged him to come visit you in the night and reclaim what was rightfully his. Of course, our divination predicted Hao would be coming home that night. Upon seeing your unfaithfulness, he was supposed to go wild with rage but, anticipating his inability to cause you any physical harm, he would instead grow withdrawn and depressed and lose his will to live. In such an ideally vulnerable state, we would have been most able to overcome him. But alas, for some reason, he seemed to trust your word and so never attributed that night to your unfaithfulness"

Amaya leaned against the wall, tears freely falling.

"Why-Why me...?"

"Isn't it obvious? I didn't think it was possible, either, but it appears I underestimated your charms. At least we raised you well in that sense. Initially, we were going to use the child to entice his reaction, but upon seeing how protective he was of you, I realized you would make a much better provocation" She chuckled to herself. "Even the devil can't help but fall in love with you"

"L-love...?"

"Don't be so naive, Amaya. Why else do you think you're here?"

"How-How could you...?"

"It's all for the greater good, Amaya. Some sacrifices have to be made in order to maintain the overall balance of good"

"It-It was only after that night he turned so grave!" She exclaimed.

"No, Amaya. He always had dark thoughts. That's just when they began to surface. But, it was only a matter of time"

"And now... What do you plan on doing?" She chocked.

"Kill him, of course"

"No!" She clutched the brooch at her chest. Aya appeared. But, she was too weak to oversoul. She had already depleted too much furyoku on little energy and now she was even weaker than before. She was powerless.

"And... Asanoha? What will you do with her?"

"She's still his child... She's a part of him... She can't be permitted to exist..."

"Noooo!"

"Hm, yes. When Hao gets here, we'll distract him with the killing of his first child and then threaten him with the killing of his wife"

Her uncle held a katana to the crying infant, ready to act. She couldn't let them do that. With one swift motion, she pushed herself off the wall and sprinted to the other end of the room.

Just as she pushed off the wall, however, the sliding doors burst open and in entered, none other than Hao himself, more than a little pissed off. He had known Amaya's mother's plan all along but he hadn't expected her to switch her target from Asanoha to Amaya.

"Now!" Her mother commanded.

"No!" Amaya screamed again. Just as he swiftly lowered the blade to sever the infant held by her aunt, she thrust her body in between them. The blade cut a large and deep gash all down her stomach and abdomen. She fell to the floor in a pile of blood. It all happened in mere milliseconds.

Before anyone could even process what had happened, Hao was next to her. Her breathing was cut short. She was no longer conscious. The blade had cut deeply into a large area. She had mere seconds left to live. He needed to heal her soon, before her spirit left her body. He lifted her, and was about to teleport when,

"Aren't you forgetting something? Or will you let her sacrifice go to waste?"

Her aunt still held the wailing child. His gaze narrowed.

"How dare you..."

In an instant, everyone was on the floor.

'_Forgive me, Amaya. But if we don't stop him now, we may never get another opportunity...'_

Her grandfather quickly used a curse on him.

'_Curse Reflection'_

He fell to the floor, dead.

Her uncle attacked him with the katana. But, it was too easy, even with Amaya in his arms. He teleported and avoided the attack.

"Why are you going through so much trouble to save her? She was trying to escape you. And, look, she's already dead" Her cousin said, almost mockingly.

He looked down. It was true. She had stopped breathing. Her life had slipped away. He only had so much time now before her spirit completely left her body.

"Too distracted..." Her other uncle said as he attacked with his oversoul. "Jump Slice!"

His sword glowed blue, emanating rays as it sliced down. Hao barely dodged. They all attacked simultaneously, but he avoided all. They soon realized they couldn't beat him by sheer force.

"I think it's about time we send this tainted child to the other world, ne?" Her aunt said, tauntingly. She held a small blade to the infant's neck and was about to cut. It was a bit of a feat, even for him, to avoid all her family members' attacks and save the baby a split-second later, all whilst simultaneously carrying her now limb body in his arms. He grabbed her arm, stopping her from moving the blade. He was just about to end her life when,

"Looks like you're too late. Her spirit is gone..."

He looked down. No. It was true. Her spirit... It had passed. She wasn't there anymore. It was too late... Her aunt used this opportunity to seal his movement. He barely realized. He was too consumed with the realization that he had let her life slip between his hands.

"You will never be able to fulfill your twisted aspiration now" Her uncle said smugly.

"You're too impertinent," He replied, his countenance suddenly very solemn. "I am the future Shaman King. In 6000 months, I will be revived"

And with those words spoken, they finished him off.

Nevertheless, everyone was stricken by his words, not to mention the outcome of the fight.

"Amaya..." her mother said sadly, looking at her corpse. "I'm sorry"

It was decided that, as the only direct heir of the Asakura lineage, Asanoha would live and carry on the name of her family. But, as a sign of their reformation, they decided to change the emblem of the Asakura family from Hao's Ying-Yang star sign to a seven star tree.

No one could have anticipated the outcome of these events... And their impact on the future. It would be another 1000 years before this story met its end.

**A/N: Okay so... yes very long chapter, I know. A little bit rushed (sorry I have midterms =)) and also I just really wanted the first part to come to an end because I have really good ideas for the next parts (well, I think). So anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed. It took me FOREVER to finish this chapter. I'm probably going to fail all my exams so I hope you guys liked it. I can't wait to get started on part 2!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Beginning of Part 2!**

Chapter 10: The Tribe

'_...What's happening? Where am I..? I'm... dead... aren't I?'_

'_Yes, Amaya, you're dead'_

'_...That voice...'_

'_Nevertheless, it's not yet time for your soul to pass'_

'_...!'_

'_Enjoy the time you have here... It won't last forever. In 500 years, your spirit will be resurrected and you will be born once again'_

'_Wh-What are you talking about?'_

'...'

'_It can't be...'_

...

"...Aiyana! Aiyana...!"

"..."

"Aiyana! What are you doing out here? You're supposed to be teaching the little ones to conjure spirits!"

"Hmmm? Oh yes, sorry. I was just thinking... I'll be there in a moment"

"Hmph! The amount of time you spend sitting outside under these trees thinking... You could put your time to much more productive use, I'm sure"

But she wasn't really listening, still immersed in thought as she got up and made her way back to the village. She walked in silence as her companion continued to babble on about her wasted skills and talents.

'_Hao... Where are you...?'_

"Aiyana!"

"Hmmmm?"

"You're not even listening to me, are you?"

"Well... No..." she admitted.

"Unbelievable!"

The two emerged through the clearing and into the village.

"...Teacher!"

A small child ran up to the pair.

"Hello Mai," she bent down to the child's level. "What are you doing running about by yourself? It's not safe"

Although she was still a young woman, she exhibited an elevated level of maturity, especially when dealing with children.

"Everybody was worried that... Something bad happened to teacher..."

Aiyana laughed lightly.

"Oh, Mai, of course not! I'm fine. Come"

She took the little girl's hand and walked on with her companion across the village.

"I'm so sorry I'm late, little ones," she said as she greeted the group of children gathered.

"Teacher!" they all cried in unison.

She smiled brightly, letting go of Mai's hand so that she may rejoin the other children.

"Okay, so today we're going to be learning how to conjure earth spirits... Is everybody ready?"

"Yes teacher!"

She laughed at their jubilant enthusiasm.

"Good. Now I'm going to need you all to close your eyes and keep them firmly shut. This is going to take a lot of concentration..."

The children obeyed.

"Now, clear your minds. Focus on the sounds of the wind, the feel of the breeze and the warmth of the sun..."

She paused for a few moments, allowing the children some time.

"Are your minds clear?"

They nodded.

"Good. Now focus your energy on the ground. The nature of the ground, its texture, its feel... The utility, of the earth beneath your feet..."

Again, she paused.

"Are you all focusing on the ground beneath your feet?"

Again, they all nodded.

"Good. Now, this is the final and most important part... Are you ready?"

Nod.

"Keep your focus on the ground, but now specify your focus to the spirits that dwell in the roots of the earth. Make your mind wholly committed to the task of extracting such spirits from the earth. Remember, to accomplish this step, the power of your mind, and your will, are vital assets. Once your mind has formed a proper depiction of the spirits in your mind, you must will yourself to conjure them... So... Ready? Begin!"

She observed the children. All had their eyes shut. Some were in deep concentration. Others seemed in forced concentration. Still, others seemed dazed, while others seemed to be absorbed in a mental struggle, pushing themselves to the point of perspiration. They remained in these positions for some time.

"I can't do it!" one of them finally exclaimed, throwing his hands up in defeat.

She smiled.

"It's okay. You all did very well. You may relax now"

They all opened their eyes, breathing heavily.

"I didn't expect any of you to get it on your first try. It's the effort that counts. I'm very proud of all of you"

But, the children still seemed disappointed in themselves.

"Don't worry. You'll get it next time"

This seemed to cheer them up a bit.

"You're all free to go play, now, as a reward for all your hard work"

All of a sudden, they all seemed to regain their exuberance as they laughed and ran off in twos and threes.

'_Ah... To teach them what you taught me... Only reminds me of you more...'_

"You're too soft"

"Well, they're still only children, Suni"

"That may be so, but these are the most impressionable years. I'm sure you didn't acquire your current skills by frolicking about instead of training when you were their age"

"Actually... I wasn't very attracted to the idea of shamanism at that age..."

"Then how did you improve so much? Hmm?"

"Well... You could say I had a very skilled teacher..."

"Wasn't your spiritual mentor Notaku?"

"Yes..."

"He was mine as well and I didn't find him very helpful! He was always boasting about the 'inner spirit' and such but never once did he demonstrate what he preached!"

"Well, perhaps he affected us both in different ways..."

"Hmph, I still don't understand. Your skill surely far surpasses his! The student is not supposed to exceed the teacher!"

Aiyana simply shrugged, deciding to end the conversation.

'_Surely I haven't surpassed him...'_

Aiyana had lightly bronzed skin, big, bright eyes that turned greenish golden in the sun, long, dark, wavy hair and a tiny form. Despite the darker hair and complexion, her features and body type remained the same as in her first life. She often wore her hair long, with a thin rope tied around her head, crossing the middle of her forehead, as was accustomed in her tribe at the time.

She hadn't told anyone about her reincarnation. Until she discovered the reason for her resurrection, she couldn't bring herself to reveal her true nature to her fellow people. As a child, it was difficult not to seem much more advanced and brighter than the other children, even when she tried her best not to seem too obvious. Evidently, it was more than difficult trying to act like a child with the mind of an adult. Her birth parents, considering her a prodigy in spiritualistic abilities whose potential stretched far beyond what they could provide for her, brought her to the Seminoa tribe at the young age of 7 to be raised amongst other shaman.

'_**Well, I hear you're a very gifted young shaman, little girl'**_

'_**Yes'**_

'_**What's your name?'**_

'_**...Amaya'**_

'_**Hmmm... That's not the name you were given at birth'**_

'_**Perhaps not, but I prefer it'**_

'_**You're very bright for a 7 year old'**_

'_**...'**_

'"_**Amaya" is a foreign name here. Perhaps the name 'Aiyana' will suit you better?'**_

'_**Fine'**_

'_**Good. Nice to meet you, Aiyana. My name is Tuketu and I am the Chief of the Seminoa Tribe'**_

'_**Nice to meet you'**_

'_**And this young girl,' he said redirecting her attention to a girl, around her age, whom he motioned to come forward, 'Is Suni. I hope you two can become friends and I hope that you will enjoy being a part of our tribe. You're our family now, Aiyana...'**_

It's been 12 years since that day. Still, she's never seen _him_. Not even once did she get an indication that he was near, let alone even alive. But it didn't matter. She just knew. He was somewhere and she would meet him again someday, when the time was right. All she could do was wait, and prepare for the time when that day would arrive.

"Aiyana, Suni"

The girls turned around.

"Chief Tuketu"

"Please, come with me," he said, ushering them into a small cedar-planked home.

"What is it?" Aiyana asked as she and Suni were seated in front of their Chief.

"Well... It appears our tribe has received an offer"

"An offer..?"

"Yes, an offer by the Patch tribe... To take part in a tournament"

"A tournament?" Suni exclaimed.

'_Oh no...'_

"A tournament for shaman. Shaman gather from all around the world to fight in order to be crowned king of all shaman"

"King...?"

"Yes. This king will obtain powers far beyond those of any normal individual. All his wishes and dreams will be fulfilled. His will will become reality. The winner of this tournament will have the power to shape the world in any way he wants"

"Our tribe... will partake?" Aiyana asked, although she was already certain of the answer.

"Yes, Aiyana. Our shaman are strong and well-trained as fighters. It would be an honour to have one of them crowned as Shaman King"

"Well, what must we do?" Suni asked.

"Ah... Yes," Chief Tuketu looked from Suni to Aiyana, holding his gaze on the latter. "We have many men who will go and fight to bring honour to our tribe. However, it cannot be denied that you are both skilled shaman, as well. Perhaps then, you would accompany our shaman during their battles, to be both a reminder of our tribe, and the duty we have to it, as well as to dictate wisdom and faith, when needed"

"You would like us to accompany the shaman who fight but... Not fight ourselves?" Suni was incredulous.

"Correct"

"... Just because we're women, doesn't mean we are any less capable!" Suni fumed.

Aiyana stayed quiet.

"You will do as you are told, Suni. This is my wish for you both"

"But... You know Aiyana is a far more skilled shaman than any man in our tribe!" Suni stood up angrily.

Aiyana looked away. Suni looked down apologetically. Tuketu shook his head.

"Yes, Aiyana is a very skilled shaman. Which is why I need her to oversee the other shaman, not participate. This is my wish for you, Aiyana. And that is my final word, Suni. I will inform you of the first fights soon enough... You are both free to go"

They nodded and exited. The two walked alongside each other.

"You shouldn't argue, Suni. He knows best"

Suni stopped walking.

"... There has always been something about you, Aiyana. Something different about you from all of us here. Not just that you weren't born into this tribe... Something else. As though there's something hidden about you that none of us know about... It's a strange feeling I get when I think of it..."

"I... Don't know what you're talking about..."Aiyana said, as she stopped walking as well, but didn't turn around.

"Well, it doesn't matter, anyway. It was just a thought..." Suni said, trailing off.

Suni had long, dark hair down to her hips and piercing browns eyes. Her complexion was quite tanned, and her features slender and prominent. She had been Aiyana's only true friend in the tribe.

"Anyway, I have to go see Payatt" Suni called as she went a separate direction than Aiyana. Aiyana merely waved her hand to signal that she had understood. Her mind was too preoccupied to bother with words at the moment. She continued walking. By the time she arrived home, her mind was still pondering.

'_The Shaman Fight... From 500 years ago... Surely, he will be there. And if his goal is the same as it was back then... Then, he must be stopped at all costs...'_


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11- The Descendant 

The time slowly passed. The commencement of the Shaman Fight was soon signalled by a bright star striking the sky, Lago. The members of her tribe had stood and stared, mesmerized. But, the star signified something different for her... The beginning of an almost-impossible quest, the burden of which she would have to carry alone.

It was not long before the men of the Patch tribe officials came to test the men of the Seminoa tribe. One by one, each was called to be tested, and either passed or failed the initiation into the tournament. Aiyana was not obliged to attend these pre-tournament matches because they were simply designed to differentiate among those of the tribe with potential, and those who did not meet up to the standard. It wasn't considered a useful application of her time.

Even the preliminary matches were deemed a waste of her time. Instead, she was expected to continue with her teachings to the little ones and with her own shaman training. This she had to do in private, however, because the other members of the tribe couldn't know just how much more advanced she was than the rest of them, or they would surely become suspicious. Oddly enough, since birth, Aya had been with her. She didn't know if Aya's spirit had been resurrected with her, or if Aya had simply waited on Earth 500 years for her return. Whatever the reason, she was extremely grateful to have her spirit ally with her still, and this only added to her advantage over the others, because she had far more experience with her spirit than they had with theirs.

There was one preliminary match, however, that Suni requested she accompany her to. It was Payatt's second preliminary battle. Aiyana knew of Suni and Payatt's secret romance, so she did not mind accompanying her so that she may support her secret lover. Aiyana knew what it was like to want to have faith in a loved one. Although Aiyana was by far the most beautiful girl in the tribe, she was also considered the one least likely to be married. She held little to no interest in any men of the tribe, despite many of their efforts, and Chief Tuketu did not seem preoccupied with marrying her off. In fact, it seemed he was perfectly pleased with her simply focusing on her shaman training for the rest of her life. And Aiyana herself was more than willing to remain celibate for the rest of her days. Nevertheless, many of the men of the village complained of unjust preference, and continued to press the idea that she should be married. With the Shaman Fight in the midst, however, these debates were put on hold, to Aiyana's great relief.

Payatt's fight was late at night, so Suni and Aiyana had to be discreet when leaving the village to get to the match. The location of the match was deep in the forest area around their village. It took Suni and Aiyana some time to find it in the dark. Finally, she had Aya lead them. There was a small clearing among the trees where the battle was just about to begin. Payatt's opponent had somewhat long hair and wore traditional Japanese attire. With a pang of realization, she suddenly noticed his uncanny resemblance to Hao.

'_Could it be...?'_

"Suni, what's the name of his opponent?"

"Hmmm... Asakura...Yohken... Was it?"

Her heart stopped... Asakura? So... This man... was Hao...?

"The match is about to begin," the Asakura said smugly to his opponent. "Are you prepared to be defeated?"

"You are the one who will be defeated"

"Payatt! I have faith in you!"

Payatt turned his head to see Suni smiling at him from the sidelines.

"It seems you have an admirer," Yohken laughed.

Aiyana still remained half-hidden in the trees, not wishing to face her former husband at this time. She debated her options in her mind. She could go back to the village, but Suni would be upset. But how could she face him now, after all these years..?

"Have you become so shy, Amaya?"

'_That voice...!'_

"Hao..."

She whipped around, her eyes wide. There was no mistaking it. The man who stood before her was indeed the man she had married 500 years ago. Although his attire was foreign, she could easily recognize the sound of his voice and his features. He was inches away from her. She took a step back. Something about him startled her. He was different somehow. His eyes seemed void of emotion. His air was cool, calm and... Cold. It was unnerving to see how greatly he had changed since the first day she met him... Unnerving and heart-breaking.

"Can you so easily mistake your own husband?" Although the question seemed light, she could sense the seriousness of its undertone.

"I...You... Wh-What are you doing here?" Was all she could manage to ask after 500 years.

He chuckled darkly.

"Is this the way I'm greeted after 500 years?"

She didn't have time to respond because he had already grabbed her and pressed her into a rough kiss. The initial shock quickly resided and she desperately struggled to push him off. Finally, he released her.

"... You're not... the man I married," she sputtered, trying to catch her breath. She engaged her oversoul into the ground, preparing to attack. He simply laughed in amusement.

"You're not very grateful, Amaya. I'm the reason you're alive in this moment. And I'm the reason your precious spirit found her way to you. And this is how you repay me? By challenging me?"

"...I know why you've resurrected yourself. I won't let you fulfill your goal" Her eyes were hard, her tone ruthless.

He laughed again.

"Hmm, well you can try. I look forward to seeing your efforts..."

"Why did you bring me back?" She demanded.

"Well, I thought that would be obvious by now..."

"..."

"I'll need a queen for when I am crowned king"

"I will never follow you!"

"Hm, I'm sorry you feel that way... You'll change your mind soon enough"

"I'd rather die"

He smirked.

"That really isn't your decision, is it? When I'm king, my will is the only one that will matter"

"What are you trying to say...?"

"... I'm not giving you a choice"

She stared at him angrily.

"Aya!" she exclaimed.

"Hahahaha, as much as I'd love to fight you, Amaya, there is a shaman battle that I must oversee. Perhaps another time..."

Again, he was inches from her. He lifted his hand and brushed her cheek softly.

"You're as beautiful as ever... Don't be too reckless, Amaya. I'll be watching you"

And with that, he disappeared... Only to reappear on the other side of the clearing, where the match was just beginning.

"Just because your sweetheart is here, doesn't mean I'll go easy on you" Yohken mocked, as he slashed his oversoul at Payatt. His oversoul medium was a katana. Payatt blocked the attack with his medium, a war club. His spirit was a Neanderthal warrior who died thousands of years ago while hunting game. Although not very vocal, he was a very resilient spirit. She had missed the introductions of Yohken's spirit.

'_Is he... My descendant, then?'_

She observed him. He did have a striking resemblance to Hao, although he looked nothing like her. He also seemed to be a bit older than her. Now that she thought about it, Hao also seemed slightly older than her. Perhaps he only resurrected her after he had been reborn for some time...?

"It seems you have another admirer," Yohken noted, as he blocked Payatt's attack, catching sight of her.

She blushed lightly. She was definitely not one of his admirers.

"Just a friend," Payatt assured, as he pushed his attack harder against Yohken, who continued to block.

"Are all the women of your tribe so beautiful?" He asked, risking another glance at her.

"You don't have a chance!" Payatt exclaimed, breaking his guard and pushing him back.

Yohken laughed.

"Enough playing around"

Suddenly his oversoul grew in size.

"I'll defeat you with my next blow"

And without further notice, he charged at Payatt and struck him with his extended oversoul. Payatt, taking the hit head on, fell to the ground, oversoul discharged. The match had been decided. Yohken held out his hand good-naturedly to help up his opponent.

"Good match," he smiled.

"You're strong," Payatt returned the smile, accepting his hand to help him off the ground.

Hao appeared next to them.

"The match has been decided. It seems my descendant will be moving on to the next round," he smirked.

"Grrr... Hao..." Yohken said, staring at him.

Hao laughed.

"Until next time," he called. "And... Aiyana was it?" he asked, shifting his gaze to meet hers. "Let's meet again"

And he was gone.

"How are you acquainted with him?" Yohken demanded, staring at her.

"We just met..." she lied.

"That guy..." He said, shaking with rage.

"Who is he?" Suni asked.

"One of the 10 Shaman Fight Officials" Payatt explained.

Yohken did not elaborate. Instead, he turned to her.

"Your name is... Aiyana?"

She nodded.

"Are you a shaman?"

"Yes"

"Are you a participant in the Shaman Fight?"

"No"

"She should be, with her skills!" Suni cried bitterly.

"Suni..." She gave her a look.

Yohken looked at Aiyana curiously.

"Really..? Hmm, you're that skilled..?"

She didn't answer.

"Maybe that's why he's interested in you..." he mumbled, more to himself. "Or perhaps it's because of your beauty," he said a little louder.

"Aiyana is not fazed by male advances" Suni said smugly.

"Advances...? I'm not making any advances! I have a fiancé!" Yohken said, slightly flustered.

Suni and Payatt laughed. Aiyana ignored them. She was far too concerned with the Hao situation to partake in this little exchange. She zoned out of the conversation but Suni soon claimed her attention again.

"We're foreseeing our tribe members in the tournament... Right Aiyana?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes, that's right"

"Not listening again..." Suni sighed, annoyed.

"It was nice to meet you all" Yohken said. "Good luck in your next match, Payatt. I hope to face you again one day in the tournament"

"Thank you"

" And Aiyana!" he called.

She looked up to meet his gaze.

"I hope to one day witness this skill of yours. I'll look forward to that day. I'll see you at the tournament"

And with that, he left.

'_His spirit... It was familiar somehow... What was it though? I couldn't catch a glimpse...'_

Aiyana tormented herself, as she walked back to the village with the two lovebirds.

"Good night," she called to them, as she separated from them and made her way to her own home. She could already predict...It would be a long and sleepless night...


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: The Encounter

Although her first meeting with Hao of this lifetime had troubled her, she was determined to not let him get the best of her. If it was anyone's responsibility to stop him from executing his sick plan, it was hers. Nevertheless, she still dreaded the next time they would meet.

Payatt managed to win his third preliminary match, and so made it to the next round of the tournament. Chief Tuketu was pleased. Eight tribe members had made it to the second round. The next task, however, would be challenging in a different sense. The second-round contestants were allocated three months to find a mysterious Patch village. If they did not find this village in time, they would be disqualified.

Chief Tuketu split the eight Seminoa warriors into two groups, one of which Aiyana would be traveling with, and the other of which Suni would be traveling with. In this way, the odds were more likely that at least one of the two groups would make it to the Patch village on time. Aiyana agreed to let Suni travel with Payatt's group, which consisted of Payatt and two others. Aiyana would travel with Yofia, Drysa, Nipaa and Ian.

The two groups departed, each going a separate direction, shortly after the end of the preliminary matches. Aiyana didn't mind so much being the only female of the group. After all, she knew she was stronger than her comrades even if they didn't know it, and she knew they respected her. Before they left, Chief Tuketu pulled her aside.

"You are a Seminoa. Don't forget that," he had said.

She simply nodded her head and went to rejoin the others. It would be a long road ahead.

"See you," Suni had said, smiling, as though the farewell was so temporary they would see each other the very next day. But Aiyana knew better than that. She knew it could be months, maybe even years, before they would meet again... If they ever met again. Aiyana took her hands in her own.

"You're a good friend, Suni. Please, take care of yourself"

And she left with her designated group.

'_Please... Be safe...'_

They traveled until night fell, and then decided to spend the night under the trees of the forest they were currently passing through. Aiyana liked the idea of sleeping outdoors. It made her feel closer to nature.

"Please, sleep closer to the fire, Aiyana," Yofia said.

"I'm fine, thank you"

"Come on, don't be stubborn! It's not that warm out," Nipaa intervened.

"Chief Tuketu will be upset if you were to fall ill," Drysa added.

"Well, if you're all going to insist," she laughed, as she moved closer to the fire.

Although she loved being outside and sleeping under the stars, she couldn't bring herself to fall asleep. She had a somewhat uneasy feeling that if she submitted herself to slumber, she would be left vulnerable, and that if she was left vulnerable and defenceless, something bad would happen. Eventually, she got up, too restless to stay lying down any longer, and walked deeper into the forest, Aya securely accompanying her in the form of the necklace that she wore around her neck, a gift from Chief Tuketu. She walked far enough that she could no longer see her sleeping comrades. It was so dimly lit, she could just barely make out the outline of the environment surrounding her.

"Hao..."

"Hmm, you walked so far, I wonder if you'll be able to find your way back...?" A voice said from behind her.

"That's not your concern. Why are you here?"

"I told you I'd be watching you, didn't I?"

"What exactly are you looking to find...?"

"Nothing in particular... Just checking up on you"

She turned around to face his form.

"This is... not right... What you're doing... What you want to do is..."

"Wrong?" He supplied.

She nodded, even though he probably couldn't see her in the dark.

"Humans are a disease on the Earth's surface, Amaya. You'll understand soon enough..."

"I could never understand that logic..."

"Amaya... Join me... We'll rule together when I create the ideal world"

"I... I can't. I refuse. I still have too much faith in humanity. I can never accept your views"

"You're too stubborn. You _will_ be my queen"

"You're too persistent. I will never join you. You'll have to kill me first..."

"...You and I both know I can't do that"

"Why not? Isn't that what you plan on doing to everyone else who refuses to join you?"

"Amaya, when the time comes, you _will _be my wife"

He was suddenly mere inches from her. She could feel the strong aura of his furyoku much closer to her than she felt comfortable with. He moved his hand to her face and caressed her cheek. She went to smack his hand away, but his other hand grabbed her wrist. Suddenly, she was up against a tree, one hand in his grip and the other pressed by his body against the tree, immobile.

"Get. Off. Of. Me." She spat.

"Hm, you're not scared of me, are you...?"

His hand shifted from her cheek to the back of her neck as he pulled her head closer. She could feel his breath on her neck.

"Why would I be scared of you? There's nothing you can do to hurt me"

"Is that so?"

His voice resonated in a soft whisper from directly next to her ear.

"I would never hurt you, Amaya. You know that...But, there are other ways to get your attention..."

"What do you mea-"

His lips enveloped hers, mid-sentence, mid-breath. She struggled against his hold, trying to push him off in vain. Suddenly, he released her wrist and the pressure on her other hand, simultaneously wrapping his other arm around her waist and pressing her harder up against the tree. Had she reacted in a logical fashion, she would have been in the perfect position to slap him off, oversoul Amaya, and possibly strike him with a direct blow that could potentially injure him, at least a bit... But instead, she stood shocked at the sudden regaining of her hands' mobility. Finally, she lifted her hand to her grab her necklace, but Hao stopped her, this time pinning both her wrists over her head and finally releasing her from the kiss.

"You won't even let me enjoy you a little bit longer...? I've been away from you for a long time, Amaya..."

His eyes were staring deep into hers. She wanted to look away, but she couldn't bring herself to break eye contact.

'_What is this feeling...? No...'_

"Marry me," he whispered.

"W-What...?"

He was still staring at her. She hated being stared at, especially when his face was so close to hers! She blushed inadvertently

"N-No... I told you already"

"You are too stubborn," he said, suddenly releasing her from his grip. "When I'm Shaman King, it won't be your choice. You will be mine"

"I won't let that happen"

He chuckled.

"Do you really think the student can defeat the teacher, Amaya..?"

"Perhaps not... But I have to at least try"

"I admire your will, but you will not succeed"

"..."

"Oh, by the way, I see you sustained the ability to censor your thoughts in this life... How disappointing... I was quite looking forward to some new insight into that mind of yours..."

She only glared at him.

"Be careful what you do, Amaya. I'll be around...Although I would prefer just taking you with me now... But, it's not yet time...Well, it doesn't matter. When I'm King, you won't be leaving my side"

He caressed her cheek gently and was about to teleport when she yelled,

"Wait! Where are you going..?"

"Don't worry, I won't be far," he smirked, before he disappeared.

"Ughh!"

She walked back through the forest to the dwindling fire and her sleeping comrades.

'_What do I do...?'_


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: The Past

The next morning, Aiyana and the four Seminoa warriors continued on their journey to find Patch village. They traversed the forest and arrived at a vast desert land.

"How can we be sure which way to go?" Ian asked.

"Hmmmm," they all pondered, trying to decipher the correct route.

"Aya, can you tell me where the desert ends?" Aiyana asked her spirit.

"You're all shaman, right? If you don't know the way, you can follow me..."

Everyone turned around to the sound of the voice.

"... You ..."

"Ah, you are the Seminoa! Aiyana-san, was it?"

She nodded.

"Well, this is a pleasant surprise," he laughed. "I didn't think we would meet again so soon"

"Are you traveling to the Patch village as well?" Drysa asked.

"Yes, I'm also a Shaman Fight participant. I-"

"How are you acquainted with our Aiyana?" Nipaa interjected.

"Uh, it's really not an interesting story," Aiyana cut in. "Let's keep moving. We shouldn't waste time"

"Hmmm..."

But no one argued any further. So Yohken pointed them in the right direction and they continued on their way. After some time, the group split so that there was some distance between Yohken and Aiyana, who were leading, and the others, who trailed farther behind. By this time, the flat desert had progressed into a desert enveloped by hundreds of enormous canyons.

"Don't be so nervous," he turned to address her.

"...What do you mean?"

"You're anxious, as though you're expecting someone to attack at any moment..."

"I'm just worried... For my tribe members..."

She wasn't fully lying. She _was_ worried Hao would target them. But, mostly, she just couldn't explain why she was so nervous. She didn't want him to hurt her comrades or kidnap her but... She didn't want to see any harm befall him either... Her emotions and fears were too scattered for her to make any sense of them.

"Is that all..?"

Before she could respond, a strong gust of wind swept across the desert, nearly knocking them over.

"Hmm, it appears a sandstorm is coming. We should seek shelter immediately. Come!" he grabbed her hand, but she resisted, looking back to see that her fellow tribe members were quite a far distance behind.

"They'll be fine," he pressed. "We don't have enough time to regroup with them now. We'll be caught in the storm"

The other Seminoas, however, also seemed to have noticed the impending storm, and were already seeking shelter in nearby caves. Satisfied and reassured that they were safe, she allowed Yohken to grab her arm and lead her into a nearby cave constructed in the midst of a canyon, just as the sandstorm's full impact hit.

"Thank you," she said, exhaling as she observed from inside the cave the brutal conditions outside.

The cave went very deep. The deeper they traveled, the less light penetrated through.

"Let's stop here," Yohken said as he made a fire.

She sat down, and he sat across from her, on the other side of the fire.

"Aiyana-san... I get a strange feeling... That you're different from the others..."

"..."

"From the others of your tribe... Why do you differ so pronouncedly?"

"I don't know what you're talking about..."

"I'm not sure how to describe it but... Your aura... It's different from the other Seminoas"

"... I wasn't born into the tribe"

"Ah, I see. Interesting... Perhaps that is also why your physical traits are also so singular..."

"Singular...?"

"Yes. Even though you have dark hair, your features are light. Your eyes, they're... Very beautiful," he gazed at her from across the fire.

"Thank you..."

'_What... What is going on here..?'_

"I'm surprised that such a young and beautiful girl like you is instructed to come on such a dangerous mission. The Chief of your tribe must really favour you..."

"No, he does not choose favourites. He is always impartial; in order to make decisions that will most benefit the tribe as a whole"

"But, if you are such a strong shaman, as Suni-san claims, why then are you not a participant in the Shaman Fight?"

"I abide by the will of our Chief"

"Are you really stronger than all the men of your tribe?"

"I-I don't know," she replied truthfully.

"Ah, I'm curious to witness this power of yours. Your primary spirit is..."

"Aya"

Aya came forth, in all her majestic glory.

"A nature spirit... And an old one at that... Perhaps from around the same time as my spirit"

"...Your spirit...?"

"That's right. You've never met... Matamune!"

Matamune appeared before her, in a much more evolved form than the simply cat she had remembered him to be.

"M-Matamune...?"

"Amaya-san," he said bowing. "It has been a while"

"Amaya-san...?"

"Yes. That is her real name"

"Matamune, I'm so surprised to see you here! And still serving the Asakura family...? You have evolved so much throughout the years..."

"... Matamune... You know each other?"

"Yes, for a very long time"

"How?"

"She is the wife of my first master"

"...Hao?"

He turned to her in flustered shock and disbelief. She sighed.

"Not his current wife... But, yes, we were married at one time..."

"H-How is that possible?"

"I always suspected he would bring you back, as well..." Matamune said slowly, observing her.

"Yes, but I don't see why. I won't help him accomplish his goal..." She drifted off.

The environment suddenly turned grave.

"We must... Stop him at all costs," Yohken said, visibly upset. "But, how do we know we can trust you?"

He suddenly pointed his sword at her, willing her to provide an explanation. She was alarmed for a moment.

"You don't," she finally said. "I can only try to prove my innocence"

"Yohken, she is not one of his followers," Matamune reassured.

"I know," he said, sighing and withdrawing his sword. "I'm sorry. I get heated when I think of Hao and his perverse intentions... So he resurrected you as well...? That explains his interest in you... But, for what purpose would he go through the trouble if you don't even side with him?"

She didn't reply, but simply sat down again in front of the fire.

"Hao-sama was... Very attached to her..." Matamune explained.

There was a silence.

"Matamune... What happened to...?"

"The child?"

"...Yes"

"She lived. It's because of her that the Asakura lineage was able to be carried on... She was raised well, and she lived happily..."

"I see... I'm glad, then..." she said sadly.

"Is something bothering you, Amaya-san?"

"...How was she able to be spared?"

"Hao-sama shielded her"

"And that is how they defeated him..?"

"Well, that is one of the reasons..."

He didn't elaborate, but she didn't need him to. She already knew. Hao had protected the baby because she had wanted him to. But, he had also protected her because he refused to let her die. And the moment he failed in reviving her was the moment he failed to find significance in that lifetime. .. He allowed himself to be defeated... And she was the reason. She didn't know what had come over her, but all of a sudden tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"Aiyana-san..." Yohken said, looking at her, startled. He moved closer to her and put a comforting arm around her shoulder. Gently, he redirected her head to his chest and he held her in his arms as she shook uncontrollably, tears freely falling down her cheeks.

"Don't cry," he soothed.

But the tears continued to fall.

'_I'm to blame... For everything. It's all my fault..That he...'_

He softly rubbed her back as she cried until her silent sobs turned into saccadic sniffles and finally, exhausted by the exertion, she fell asleep with her head still on his chest. Yohken turned to Matamune for guidance, but he simply shrugged and turned away. In truth, Matamune was not pleased with the string of events that had just unfolded, but there was nothing he was entitled to say or do that would have allowed him to refute them.

'_Hao-sama... Forgive me...'_

Yohken gazed down at the sleeping form resting on his chest. Even though her eyes were closed, the area around them was puffy and swollen from crying. Nevertheless, she still truly was beautiful. In all aspects, she was near-flawless. Her skin was radiant and smooth, her eyes big and a mesmerizing golden-green, her mouth a perfect pout and her hair long, dark, wavy and shiny.

Matamune observed his new master as he gazed down at the girl. He'd seen that look before. There was something about her... Something that seemed to captivate anyone that got too close... Until it was too late to reverse the effects. She had the charm and looks of the young, spirited and strong-willed girl that she appeared to be, but she also had the wisdom and maturity of a soul far beyond the age of her appearance.

Yohken stroked her hair cautiously and Matamune was even further reminded of his first master. How could she affect them both so similarly? And, more importantly, how would this situation end? It seemed that, once again, she would be the pivotal and determining factor in the fight against Hao... What was it about this girl that enabled her to draw them both so easily in? Or, was it simply a reaction caused by the shared blood of ancestor and descendant; Hao's blood that flowed through Yohken's veins..? The answer was unclear. The only thing that was clear was that Hao would not at all be pleased...

**A/N: Very Mary-Sue, I know. Sorry. I hate Mary-Sues but... If she caught Hao's attention, then she can't just be any ordinary girl, right? She's got to be something special or he wouldn't even bother. And... the Mary-Sueness all ties in later in the story, I swear! **

**Also, thanks ****to ****Koorinosekai, your reviews always make my day =)**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: The Fight

She woke up early with a sense of discomfort. She walked towards the mouth of the cave.

"Hao..! What are you doing here? You need to leave!"

"Hmmm? And why is that?"

"...Uh... "

He chuckled.

"What an interesting turn of events. I never thought I would find you traveling alone with my descendant. Hmm, or I should say _our_ descendant, shouldn't I?" he smiled good-naturedly.

"Just go! Please..." she urged.

"What are you so afraid of?" he asked, suddenly serious, as he jumped off a large rock and landed in front of her. "Are you worried for his safety?"

She didn't answer.

"Don't worry, I have no intentions of harming him... yet. I have other reasons for coming here..."

He walked towards her.

"Have you reconsidered my offer, Amaya?"

"...My answer is the same"

"How foolish..."

He moved even closer.

"A married man shouldn't be making such offers"

Yohken came and stood in front of Aiyana.

"M-married...?"

She nearly passed out.

"It means nothing. Once I am Shaman King, it won't matter"

"Patch men are encouraged to marry and have a family at a young age. Isn't that right?"

"A family?" She exclaimed.

"You're bothersome," Hao said, turning to Yohken, slightly annoyed.

"Hao, Fight me..."

Yohken engaged his oversoul and charged at him. Hao smirked.

"Now is not the time"

He teleported himself and dodged the attack.

"Amaya, next time we meet, you _will_ be mine. Until then..."

And he was gone.

"Dammit!"

"Yohken..."

"Aiyana," he said, looking up at her. "I won't let him take you"

"..."

"I just can't..."

She looked away.

"Please... Don't get involved. It's not your fight"

"Not my fight? If his intentions are the same as they were 500 years ago, it is my _duty_, as an Asakura! And I..." he paused, grabbing her hands.

She looked at him, startled, her cheeks turning pink.

"...Nothing," he finally said, letting go of her hands.

She turned away, cheeks burning.

'_What the hell?'_

"We should find your comrades," he said indifferently, turning away from her

"Yes..."

They ventured further out of the cave, only to find the desert completely changed.

"What's going on...?"

"Hmm, is this the Great Spirit's doing? Perhaps we are approaching Patch village, then... We won't be able to find your tribe members, now. We'll have to progress forward and hope we meet them along the way..."

'_Oh no, I'm a horrible guide. We could be separated for days. What if something happens to them...?'_

"Don't worry, Aiyana. We'll find them"

"Thank you..."

But days turned into weeks and they still they had yet to run into any shamans, let alone her tribe members. To make matters worse, they had no way of knowing if they were moving in the right direction. They only had their intuition to rely on.

"Aiyana, I'm sorry that we haven't yet found your companions," he suddenly turned and said to her one night as they were sitting by a fire, much like the first night they had spent together.

"It's not your fault... If I wasn't so careless we would have never been separated to begin with..."

"No I am to blame for joining your group... Perhaps it would have been better had we never met again...But I'm not sorry that we did..."

She didn't respond.

"Aiyana, I don't know what it is about you but... I don't want to leave you...Aiyana, I-"

"Yohken, please, don't..!"

"I can't pretend, anymore. I'm sure that you already know, Aiyana, but...These feelings I have... I can't allow any harm to befall you. Even if you don't reciprocate them, I won't... I won't let him have you..."

"I... I don't know what to say..." She paused. "Your fiancée, she..."

"It doesn't matter... None of that matters... Right now, I just...Want to keep you safe..."

"..."

"I'm sorry... For telling you, that is. You can't return my feelings... I understand that... "

"Yohken... I'm sorry..."

Neither of them said anything else that night.

'_Hao, when you come for her, I'll be ready'_

The following day, they continued through the seemingly endless desert in relative silence, as well. They walked for hours and, just as they were about to take a break, Aiyana saw something in the distance.

"That is..."

"Aiyana? What is it? What do you see?"

"I think... There are people there..."

He looked in the direction that she was pointing.

"Yes, there is definitely some sort of group there but-"

Before he could even finish his sentence, though she was already running there.

"Aiyana! Wait!"

He took off after her. As she approached, she could just make out the traditional clothing of her tribe. Ecstatic, she moved even faster, but stopped dead in her tracks. In front of them stood Hao... A huge creature-like spirit looming behind him. Yohken stopped beside her.

"What's going on?" he demanded, observing the scene.

"No...!" Aiyana screamed, as she realized what was about to happen. She took off again, moving as fast as she could.

But it was too late. He had already killed three of her fellow comrades with one single blow.

"Hao!" She cried, arriving mere seconds too late, as he finished off the last of the tribe members she had been traveling with.

"You... bastard!"

She engaged her oversoul and summoned an earthquake to collapse the ground beneath his feet. But, effortlessly he evaded.

"Ah, Amaya, why are you so upset? You had no _real_ connection to that tribe, after all..."

"I will... Never forgive you..." She said, trembling between a mixture of rage and sadness, as she once again attempted to cave the ground beneath his feet.

"I think you know as well as I do you can't win, Amaya"

He teleported in front of her.

"Get away from me!"

She went to slap him, but he caught her hand.

"Now, you're mine," he said into her ear, so low it was almost a whisper.

She pulled herself out of his grip.

"Ahh, you're so emotional," he smirked.

"Don't touch her"

"Hmmm, what are _you_ doing here..? Oh well, no matter. It's not really any of your concern..."

"You bastard! Stay away from her!"

"Please! Don't get involved. I can defend myself"

"Interesting... Amaya," he said, turning to her, "we both know your resistance is futile. I don't want to harm you, but you're making this much more difficult than it has to be. This is your last chance. Come"

He held out his hand for her to take. She didn't move.

"Don't be so impertinent. She isn't going anywhere with you"

"Do you really think you're any match for me?"

"I _will_ defeat you!"

He engaged his oversoul. Aiyana stepped in front of him.

"Stop"

"What are you doing..? You don't think I can beat him?"

"... He's powerful... Too powerful..."

"As am I!"

He tried to go past her.

"Yohken, you're not yet strong enough..."

"Are you just going to abide by his will, then?"

"... I don't have a choice"

"Yes, you do!"

He tried to grab her arm but she pulled away.

"I'm sorry..."

She went to go towards Hao but he stopped her, positioning his body in front of her pathway.

"Aiyana... I can't let you do this"

"You must..."

"No! I-I'd rather die fighting than see him take you"

"Yohken..."

"Aiyana... Stay with me... I want you with me always... Be my wife"

"...W-What?"

She stared at him in disbelief.

"Aiyana... I won't let him have you"

"B-But you... You have a fiancée..."

"I don't care... I don't care about any of that... Just, Please... Don't go..."

"I can see you're a much greater nuisance than I thought," Hao said, suddenly very serious. "I'll kill you, now, and destroy any trace of your existence"

Without further warning, fire suddenly appeared where Yohken was standing. He dodged it, however, at the last second. Annoyed, Hao sent a fireball at him, that he barely deflected. Recognizing that the situation was not looking good, Aiyana racked her brain trying to think of a method to escape.

"Aya!" She called. "I know we've never done this before, but please... Believe in me. I have to try..."

She oversouled Aya using a double-medium method. She used the wavelengths emitted by the sun and her own body as the two mediums. Suddenly, her movements matched the speed of light, as though she were teleporting. She grabbed Yohken, just as Hao's fire was about to burn him, and within milliseconds appeared out of the desert, hundreds of kilometres away.

'_I wonder if that's how Hao teleports...'_ she wondered.

"Aiyana...? How did you...?"

"I'm not really sure," she said honestly.

Hao stood in the middle of the desert, his opponent suddenly gone. But he wasn't angry. On the contrary, he was smiling.

"Ah, she really is something. Learning the technique of double-medium and discovering a method of teleportation all in a matter of seconds. She truly is worthy of being Shaman Queen...But the next time we meet, I'll make sure that she isn't there to save him.."

**A/N: Okay, so 2****nd**** part almost finished. Yayyyyy! Next part Yoh and all the other characters we love so much come in. And maybe a few more OC's... Haven't decided yet... I'm just excited to write about someone other than Hao and Amaya... hahah **


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: The Defeat

"Where are we?" Yohken asked, taking in their surroundings.

There was no response. He turned around to see Aiyana, fallen to the floor on her knees, tears freely falling from her eyes.

"Aiyana...?"

He went beside her and gently took her in his arms.

"It'll be okay..."

She tried to regain her composure, knowing that they couldn't stay in the same location for too long because Hao would surely find them.

"Let's go," she said, getting up all of a sudden.

"...Where?"

"Patch Village... It should be close"

They began walking. They were no longer in the desert but among trees and rocky mountains. He wanted to say something to comfort her, but every time he tried to speak to her she would cut the conversation short. Eventually, night time fell but she refused to stop for the night.

"We have to get to Patch Village as soon as possible," she said simply.

'_Our safest option is to be amongst other shaman... Maybe then, we can defeat him'_

So they traveled through the night in darkness, the only light source being the moon. When dawn began to break, Aiyana noticed something in the distance. It looked like a city, with all uniform white buildings strategically placed in columns and rows.

"Is that... Patch Village?" Yohken asked, also noticing the distant city.

"I don't know"

They approached the village. Once they got closer, they noticed its mysterious and confusing architectural design. The houses were all identical and placed linearly in complex patterns that made its layout seem like a maze.

"Aiyana, before we arrive in Patch Village, I need to show you something"

She turned to him.

"I don't know if it will be enough to defeat him, but I've been practicing this technique with Matamune every night for some time now"

He lifted his shirt to reveal what appeared to be a small dagger. He held his katana in the other hand. With one swift gesture, he oversouled Matamune first into the dagger, known as Futso no Mitama, and then into the katana. The product was a giant sword, stretching some twenty feet in front of him, which he held in his hand like a normal sword.

"That is..."

"My new oversoul," Yohken explained. "I wanted to use it when I was fighting with Hao but I didn't get the chance... You teleported us too quickly"

"..."

She didn't quite know what to say. Could that really defeat Hao? Of course, it was their only option so they had no real choice but to try. They proceeded into the town, which they soon learned was not in fact Patch Village, but Mesa Verdede.

'_Still, we must be very close to Patch Village now...'_

The fact that there seemed to be other shaman loitering in the city gave them solid confidence that they were very near their destination. They explored the city, trying to find clues to the whereabouts of the Patch Village. The structure of the village was very confusing, making it extremely difficult to get around. They were so focused on their surroundings, however, they barely noticed the people around them.

"Aiyana...?"

Aiyana turned around at the sound of the voice. It couldn't be...

"Suni?" she cried in bewilderment, recognizing her old friend. Panic-stricken, she realized she seemed to be alone.

"Aiyana I'm glad you're alive" Suni said coming to her. She looked worn-down, fatigued and quite solemn.

"Suni... What happened?"

"We must leave immediately, Aiyana. This Shaman Fight... It is a cruel and evil plot. The Patch are not who they say they are. They're demons. They betrayed us. Their true plan is to kill all humans and create a shaman kingdom. One... One of their own killed the warriors of our tribe for refusing to join them... Payatt and I weren't there when it happened... We... We were the only survivors..."

Suni looked down gravely as tears slowly began to roll down her cheeks. Aiyana took her friend into an embrace and gently rubbed her back.

"Suni... I'm so sorry...," was all Aiyana could say.

"We must leave here at once. Before... Before everyone is lost"

"Suni... You go back with Payatt. I must stay here. Please, go back and inform Chief Tuketu of what has happened. I-I have to stay here... And fight"

"No, Aiyana, I won't go back without you! Why can't the others of our tribe stay and fight? I can't lose you too..."

Aiyana looked down.

"The others..? Where-Where are they? There... are no others, are there? The Patch has killed them as well...?"

Aiyana took her hand.

"I'm so sorry. Please... Go back to our village and inform Chief Tuketu and the other Seminoa of what has happened... You must be strong... The fate of our tribe is in your hands..."

"Aiyana..."

"Ah, so this must be our Shaman Queen..."

Aiyana turned around. A tall, broad, dark-haired man and a shorter light-haired man both stood before her dressed in what appeared to be full suits of armour.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I'm Solomon and this is Piers," the taller of the two explained, pointing to his comrade. "We are loyal followers of Master Hao"

Aiyana, Suni and Yohken all tensed.

"Hao...? That name... Yes, he is the one who-!" Suni cried, engaging her oversoul.

"Don't become hostile... We've simply come to relay a message," the shorter of the two explained. "After all, Master Hao doesn't expect us to be in the same fighting league as his bride"

He looked at Aiyana and smiled.

"...Bride?" Suni exclaimed. "What's going on...?"

"Ah, Ms. Amaya, you haven't informed your friends of your past? You're almost as discreet at Master Hao, himself"

"Amaya...?"

"Oh, yes that's right. Master Hao told us your name was different in this life. What was it now...? Aiyana, right?"

Aiyana simply glared.

"Aiyana, what are they talking about?" Suni pleaded.

"Why, she is the reincarnation of Master Hao's first wife, isn't that right, Ms. Aiyana? And she's been privileged enough to sustain Master Hao's interest despite such a long passage of time. She's in such high esteem with Master Hao that he even plans to have her rule his shaman kingdom with him"

"Suni... I'm so sorry... I should have told you" Aiyana said solemnly, turning to her. "I-I'm sorry"

"It-It can't be... Hao... He is the one who... No... Please, Aiyana... Tell me it isn't true...Please, tell me the connection they accuse you of having to him is false!"

Aiyana looked down, but did not answer.

*SLAP*

"You traitor..!"

Aiyana's cheek throbbed and Suni's hand trembled.

"I will never forgive you for what you have done"

Aiyana did not reply. Suni turned to leave.

"Hey, young lady! Where do you think you're going? Don't think you can act so boldly with Master Hao's Shaman Queen and escape unscathed!"

They pointed their swords at her but Aiyana created a wall of earth that blocked their attacks and assured her a safe departure.

"Your message... What is it?" She asked indifferently.

Solomon smirked.

"There is a cave just ahead," he said, pointing in its direction. "It is through that cave that you will find the path to the Patch Village. At the threshold separating the cave from Patch Village, Master Hao will be waiting for you. Please, don't delay. He doesn't like to be kept waiting"

Aiyana turned to Yohken, who had kept quiet throughout the entire discourse.

"Let's go," he said earnestly as he swiftly walked past Hao's followers towards the direction of the cave, Aiyana close behind him.

Just as they entered the cave, he suddenly turned to her, as serious as ever.

"Promise me something, Aiyana"

She looked at him, confused.

"Whatever the circumstances, you musn't interfere with our fight. Do you understand?"

"But-"

"Promise me, Aiyana!"

She stared at him. He was serious, his eyes deep and almost... pleading.

"I promise," she said finally.

They continued walking. The cave went on for a very long time. It seemed endless. They paused after hours of walking, trying to decipher if they were simply going in circles. They turned around to trace their steps.

"What the hell...?" Yohken exclaimed.

The path they seemed to have come from spread out into hundreds of different routes and stairways, making it impossible to retrace their course.

"Where did all these different paths come from? How do we know if we're traveling in the right direction?"

"Hmmm, it must be the Great Spirit's doing. You've gotten this far by letting your spirit carve our path without consciously paying attention to where it was leading you. Perhaps, that's what the Great Spirit intended. Perhaps, that is the way to the Patch Village..."

Yohken looked at her a moment and then nodded, before continuing on his blindly forged path. It wasn't long before Aiyana began to sense them approaching very strong shamanic energy. She could just see a fire blazing in the distance.

"Yohken... There are some things you must know... About Hao... Before you fight him," she suddenly said.

He didn't stop walking, but slowed his pace.

"He's always been very powerful... Even 500 years ago... He was the most skilled shaman of his time... And now, he's only gotten stronger. He can... Read minds, reflect curses, heal himself, teleport, control and manipulate the five elements of nature... and not to mention he can revive himself... and others... It won't be easy, but I believe you can defeat him. Just, don't underestimate him"

"I know he is a very strong opponent but... I-I won't lose... I just can't"

"Hmm, so you came," a voice greeted.

'_Hao...'_

He sat in front of the fire, his expression surprisingly serious.

"Stay back," Yohken instructed Aiyana.

"Yes, Amaya, you promised to sit this one out, didn't you? Try not to come to close. I wouldn't want you to get hurt..."

She took a few steps back. She hated the feeling of being useless, but there was nothing else she could do. She clenched her fists in nervous anticipation, anxious for whatever outcome would be the result. Yohken engaged his newly-mastered oversoul, but in shrunken version.

"Interesting. That Matamune is really quite something..." Hao noted, observing the new oversoul.

Yohken tensed.

"Did you think I wasn't aware of the identity of your spirit partner?" Hao asked, amused. "Still a loyal servant to the Asakura family after all this time... I don't supposed he'd want to come greet me after all these years... ? Hmm, well that's fine..."

He engaged his oversoul as well, preparing to fight one-on-one.

"I suppose I'll have to defeat you both, then"

Suddenly, fire surrounded Yohken. He quickly changed his oversoul shape into a shield and protected himself from the flames. He pushed through the fire and, quickly reverting his oversoul back into a giant sword, lunged at Hao. He effortlessly dodged the attack and, morphing his own oversoul into a sword to match his opponents, counter-attacked Yohken. He slimly blocked the attack with his own blade.

They continued to clash swords, but Hao seemed to have an obvious edge. He pushed Yohken's sword down and, with one swift motion, punched him halfway across the room. Aiyana bit her lip nervously. Hao immediately attacked him with fire but Yohken's reflexes were quick to once again shield himself with his oversoul.

"Is that really all you can think about when you're so close to death?" Hao asked, tone bordering on annoyance at Yohken's thoughts as Yohken jumped up and struck towards him again as he blocked it.

"It's not your business"

Aiyana didn't know what he was referring to, and, to be honest, she wasn't sure if she wanted to know.

"So small," Hao said condescendingly as he once again overpowered his opponent's sword-wielding and kicked him, sending him flying. In a flash, he was in front of him, blade pointed at his neck as he lay sprawled on the floor.

"Now burn"

Fire once again surrounded Yohken. He shielded himself, but the fire continued to flow. His defence was starting to falter.

"Yohken, stay strong!" Aiyana called, fearing he was beginning to lose hope. Hao narrowed his eyes.

But Yohken was still being engulfed by flames. Panicking slightly, she tried to think of a means to at least distract Hao, without directly getting involved in the battle.

'_My thoughts...'_ she realized. _'Usually Hao can't hear my thoughts. Only in grave situations when I let my guard down. If I give him access to my thoughts, and produce thoughts that bother or attract his attention, perhaps it will draw his focus away from Yohken and he will have a chance to survive... My thoughts must come across frantic and desperate so that he believes my lack of mind-blocking is unintentional because my energy is too focused on my concern for Yohken. This is our only hope... Please, let my thoughts reach him'_

Yohken's defences began to fall even more.

'_Yohken... Please pull through. You can't die here I don't know what I'd do without you... I-I need you...'_

She tried her best to project her worry onto her facial features. Almost immediately, she saw Hao tense. He turned his head to look back at her, an expression of calm rage present on his features. She pretended not to notice his stare, seemingly being too preoccupied in Yohken's wellbeing.

"Enough stalling. Spirit of Fire!" Hao called.

Suddenly the flames surrounding Yohken ceased. Spirit of Fire appeared in all his monstrous glory. But Yohken used the time to reengage his oversoul, this time forming the giant sword. Hao, becoming even more enraged, commanded,

"Eat him!"

But Yohken's movements were different with this oversized oversoul. He was quick to block, and even quicker to attack. As Spirit of Fire reached to grab him, he cut off both his hands. However, they quickly regenerated themselves.

'_I believe in you, Yohken'_

With every thought she emitted, she could see Hao's temper flaring exponentially. But with an increase in his temper came a decrease in his control. His attacks became less and less precise, clearly due to a clouding of his judgment. Nevertheless, as her mind pretended to call out to Yohken, she could feel her heart being crushed. But she couldn't let those thoughts surface... At least for the moment. She had to sacrifice her own feelings for the greater good.

'_Yohken, you must succeed... Or I'll never get a chance to tell you that I've decided and... I accept your proposal...'_

Tears began to stream down her eyes, but for completely different reasons than one would think judging by her thoughts. She knew this was it. It was the final push. Hao wouldn't be able to keep his calm any longer. He would become enraged and, consequentially, he would lose. Hao's fists clenched and his eyes glowed dangerously. There was a burst of fire. All of a sudden, Spirit of Fire was disengaged and he created an oversoul that matched the size of Yohken's katana. He lunged towards him.

"I'll personally finish you off!" Hao cried angrily.

As anticipated, however, his rage was blinding. Yohken was able to dodge and smoothly, he reversed the attack. Aiyana fell to her knees, openly crying now. Hao had been disarmed and Yohken's giant sword was pointed at his throat. But, Hao was no longer angry. Instead, he looked at Aiyana, a smirk formed on his face.

"You lied," he said simply to her devastated form now fallen to the floor. Her mind was genuinely in a frenzy now, and her thoughts were both unable to be censored and unable to be controlled as she anticipated the witnessing of his death. All her concerned thoughts flowed freely in his mind and, moments away from death, he was able to be at ease knowing she at least cared.

"Amaya, this isn't the end. You _will_ rule with me. I am the Shaman King. 6000 months and I will be revived once again"

Those were the last words he said before Yohken defeated him.

"Aiyana, are you okay?" Yohken asked, running to her.

Her body was shaking but she forced herself up.

"Yes"

He tried to take her in his arms but she pushed him away.

"You did well, Yohken... Matamune," she said, trying her best to sound sincere.

"Aiyana..."

"I must go," she said, almost harshly.

"What are you talking about? Where...?"

"... I am still a Seminoa"

"You can't go back there! They'll kill you after what they've heard," he tried to grab her hands but, again, she pulled away.

"I must accept the consequences of my fate, whatever they may be. The Patch Village is just ahead..."

"But, will I ever see you again?"

"Everything depends on the will of the Great Spirit..."

"But Aiyana,-!"

"I'm sorry... Goodbye," she gave his cheek a light caress before she teleported out of the cave. With a heavy heart, she made her way back to the Seminoa village. When she finally arrived, as was anticipated, her welcome was not warm.

"Do you dare to show your face here after what you have done?" Suni exclaimed, tears streaming down her face.

But, Chief Tuketu lifted his hand and quickly silenced her.

"Aiyana, come," he motioned, leading her inside a small house. "Is what Suni says true? Are you so intimately connected to the Patch man who killed so many of our tribe members?"

"I am," she replied evenly, her head bowed.

"I see... Aiyana, when you arrived here so many years ago, I always knew there was something special about you. Still, I never imagined your past could be so complex and detrimental to our tribe"

He paused.

"Aiyana, I'm afraid the customs and laws of the tribe must be put into effect. There can be no exceptions. You indirectly caused the death of seven of our tribe members. The penalty for that is, of course, death..."

She didn't reply. She had already accepted her fate.

"However, I can offer you a compromise. You would make a fine wife for my son, Payatt. If you agree to marry him, it will be seen as a cleansing ritual and the errors of your past will be pardoned as the wife of the future Chief of the tribe. I don't sense that your soul is inherently bad; you are simply in need of guidance. As Payatt's wife, he will be able to properly guide your spirit away from its negative omen, and together, you will steer our tribe back to prosperity. What do you say?"

'_Suni... I could never do that to her...'_

"I'm sorry, Chief Tuketu, but I cannot accept your offer"

"So you choose death?" he asked, his tone suddenly harsh.

"I do"

"Very well"

And with that, Aiyana was escorted away. She was sentenced to be put to death. The next morning, at dawn, she was taken to the location of her execution.

'_Hao... I'm sorry, but if you revive me again, I can't remember you. I can't remember us. It's too painful and it's caused too much hardship... For both of us, as well as others. Please forgive me but I must erase our past together. I can't remember that I loved you and I can't remember that you ever loved me. This is the only way I can let you go. Please, let me go as well...'_

As the executor was preparing to kill her, by thrusting a spear through her heart, she mentally prepared herself to focus all her fuyoku on the expulsion of her memory. Her current life and her past life. She had to erase all her memories of both so that when her spirit returned to the Great Spirit, and when Hao eventually revived her, she would no longer react to his name, turn to his voice, or recognize his face. Just as they pierced the spear through her heart and she felt her life slowly slipping away, she focused her foryoku to disassemble every memory she ever had until her recollections were a blank, as though she had never lived before.

'_Goodbye, Hao,_' was the last thought she consciously produced before she erased that too and finally slipped away.

**A/N: End of second part!**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: The Twin

_**Tokyo, 1998**_

'_Hmmm, is this the museum where Harusame is supposed to be displayed? It sure is secluded... And doesn't look like it gets much business... Well, I'd better go in, just to make sure...'_

The museum itself wasn't very big, perhaps because it was privately owned. The owner was in fact also the manager, I believe. He greeted me the moment I entered with extreme enthusiasm, as though this was the most business the place had gotten in a long time. He held out his hand to shake mine, smiling excessively.

"_(Sweatdrop,) _Uh, hello, I was wondering if you could please tell me where Amidamaru's sword, Harusame, was being displayed?"

"Ahhh, Harusame? Hahaha, it will be happy, it's been getting a lot of attention today! Follow me, it's right this way"

'_Happy? How can a sword be happy?'_ I thought sarcastically.

He led me around the corner to a glass encasement where a long katana was elegantly displayed. I wanted to get a better look, to see what was so special about this sword, but a girl was hovering around the display, her back to me, apparently unaware of my presence.

"Wow, the wielder of this sword must have been very skilled. The blade looks as though it could slice through paper in one clean cut. It would be interesting to fight with, don't you think?"

The girl hadn't turned around to acknowledge me, but I was the only other person present. Confused, I asked:

"Uhh, are you talking to me?"

I guess the sound of my voice alarmed her because she spun around quickly and looked down at me in mild shock. I don't usually pay much attention to appearance, but she was exceptionally pretty. Her hair was a shade of chestnut that fell in effortless waves down her back and over her shoulders and her eyes were big and bright and seemingly golden-green in the rays of sun shining through the window. The rest of her features seemed to perfectly blend around them. She had a tiny build (in comparison to someone like Yoh, of course) and she seemed to be around my age. She was wearing a blue and white pleated skirt and a white blouse with a blue and white crest over the left breast, the top couple of buttons undone, and a blue and white tie loosely fastened hung around her collar. Her knee highs were navy blue and her shoes classic, black, leather loafers.

It took her a few moments to reply, and when she did, she let out an almost-hesitant laugh before saying:

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize someone else was here..."

She kneeled down to my level, suddenly a look of concern washed over her features.

"Are you lost? Where are your parents?" She asked, simultaneously keeping an eye on me while scanning the rest of the room.

"Hey, I'm not a kid!" I exclaimed heatedly. "My name is Oyamada Manta and I'm 13 years old!"

"Really?" She laughed again. "I'm so sorry. I just assumed because you're so..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but held out her hand for me to shake.

"It's nice to meet you"

I shook her outstretched hand and, catching a glimpse of her smiling brightly down at me, blushed despite myself.

"Do you... Go to school around here?" I couldn't help but blurt out, taking in the full extent of her uniform. I didn't recognize the school crest, or the school name written under it... It sounded French.

"Well, not exactly...," she said, lowering her voice a bit.

"B-But then, why are you wearing a uniform?"

Something about this girl really made me anxious, but I couldn't help but give in to my curiosity.

"Camouflage," she winked. "I should be going... It really was nice meeting you"

She smiled at me again and made to leave. She had almost turned the corner when I shouted:

"Hey, wait! You never told me your name..."

She paused and turned around, seemingly thinking for a moment before she responded:

"Well, I have many..."

This caught me a little off guard. She sure was a bit strange.

"Well, which do you prefer?" I finally said.

She seemed to think about this for a moment again.

"Amaya. My name is Amaya," she said as she smiled, waved, and walked away.

That was the first time I'd ever seen or officially met her. At the time, I wasn't very familiar with the whole idea of shamans, the afterlife or the Shaman Tournament. Never would I have guessed that this mysterious, charming, almost sad, girl I met at the museum would have such a large impact on all of us and be so intricately tied to all of our destinies. It's almost ironic, if you think about it...

...

"What I don't understand is why you even bother trying to escape if you always come right back..."

"I'm sorry, did I hear right? Did you just say there's something you don't understand...? Oh my God! Everyone, stop what you're doing! Close the streets! It's a miracle!" She said sarcastically as she pulled her arms through the sleeves of her sweater and zipped it up half-way.

He gave her a stern glance which she promptly ignored.

"What exactly is it that you do all day that consistently makes you so keen on slipping past the guard of my followers every time?"

"I don't "slip" past them. They're just incompetent..."

"Hmm, that may be so," he said, standing up. "Perhaps I'll just have to keep an eye on you myself, then..."

This panicked her a bit.

"It's not like I'm trying to run away. I would have done it already if I was... You'd be wasting your time if you tried to monitor me all day. And anyway, don't you have anything better to do...?"

"If what you say is true, then why are you suddenly so tense?"

She mentally cursed herself for being so obvious.

"As I thought... Well, in that case, I won't be taking any risks"

"This is ridiculous. If you wanted me to have some kind of jurisdiction in my life, you shouldn't have taken me away from home"

Another stern look.

"Don't be so stubborn. We've been through this. They're not your real family"

"It still would have been nice to have a choice..."

"You're no longer entitled to a choice"

"Is that even legal? Just saying..."

And a glare.

"You're really trying my patience, Amaya"

"That was the point," she said as she turned around and sauntered off.

'_I'll just have to slip past you too, then'_

He sat down and smirked at her thought, gazing into the flames in front of him as they licked one another.

"You can try..."

...

"Uh... is that the...?"

"Harusame is displayed in that museum," Manta said.

We walked up to the door, but it wouldn't open. A sign with the word "CLOSED" hung on the door.

"Damn, it's closed?"

"Guess we came here for nothing," I laughed.

Just then, an older man pulled up on a bike behind us.

"What's wrong guys? Do you have some business here? Oh, you're the boy from yesterday... Have you come back in search of that pretty young lady?"

Manta turned ten shades of crimson.

"No! We're here to see Harusame again!"

We explained our interest and, without hesitation, he opened the doors, turned on the lights, and allowed us entry.

"I'm sorry, even though it's closed today..."

"You came with the interest of this town's history. I can't just send you back"

"Um... About Harusame..."

"That's right," he laughed. "Harusame will be happy..."

"Eh? The katana will be happy? You said this yesterday, as well..."

He brought us to the Harusame display, although Manta already knew the way.

"It is said that Amidamaru, the devil, loved this katana so much he was able to wield it as if it were part of his body"

"Ahhhhhhhh"

"Anyway, what did you mean by what you said before, that Harusame will be happy...?"

"There's a rumour that Harusame sheds tears at night. It is said that even sniffling sounds can be heard. A katana is the spirit of a samurai after all. Amidamaru and Harusame, there must be a strong bond between them... If possible, I wanted it to be placed next to his tombstone. Well, at least someone's shown an interest. Why don't you be Harusame's companions, in place of Amidamaru? Harusame will surely be happy. And who knows, maybe if you're lucky, that young lady will show up again, too," he winked as he walked away, leaving us alone.

Manta turned red again but ignored the comment.

"Ah, even if you're a shaman, you can't talk to katanas, right?"

"Hmmm... not sure"

"Eh? Y-you can?"

"Ah forget about it," I said as I sat down. "Besides, don't you want to see when Harusame cries?"

"Th...That is..."

"Right? Then let's wait"

Manta came to sit down beside me hesitantly.

"Hey, Manta, who's that girl that you met here?"

"Uhh... Well, that's to say... I don't really know her..."

"Hey, it's you again!" A voice came from the doorway.

We both looked up.

"Ah, it's her!" Manta exclaimed, pointing exaggeratedly.

"Hm, were you talking about me?" she asked, confused, looking from one to the other.

"Uhhh... I... Ummm"

"She _is_ pretty," I whispered in Manta's ear.

But, in a quiet room, a whisper travels a long distance. Manta blushed again.

"...Thanks," she said lightly as she approached us. "So what are you doing here?"

"Eh? I can ask you the same thing!" Manta cried.

"Well... I think it's a good place to... Get away for a bit..."

"Huh? You're not wearing your uniform anymore... Are you still hiding?"

She was wearing a blue zip-up hoodie, a white camisole, black shorts and white and black flats.

"Uhh... I wouldn't call it 'hiding', so much as just... Taking a break"

"Ahh," I nodded wisely. "Is it your father?"

For some reason, she began to laugh. Manta and I looked at each other. I don't think I had said anything funny...?

"Something like that," she finally replied.

She looked up at me, apparently taking in my appearance for the first time.

'_What the hell? What's going on? He looks exactly like Hao!'_

Her face suddenly paled and she took a few steps back.

"What did you say your name was?"

"Oh, right. I'm Yoh. Asakura Yoh," I said as I held out my hand to shake hers.

She looked as if she was about to faint.

"A-Asakura?"

I looked from her shocked expression to Manta's bewildered one, completely confused.

"A-Amaya...?" Manta said hesitantly.

"How old are you?" She demanded, her eyes boring into mine.

"13," I said sheepishly.

'_What the hell is going on...?'_

"Do you have any siblings...? Relatives? Cousins?"

"N-Not that I know of..."

'_Not that he knows of... So, he doesn't know... He doesn't know... This boy... Maybe, just maybe... He'll be the one...'_

"I have to go!" She exclaimed, hastily turning around.

"It was nice meeting you," she called back, making a swift exit

"What did I do...?" I asked, turning to Manta.

He simply shrugged.

And that was the first time I ever met Amaya. It's almost strange, when I think back on our first meeting, how much had changed since then. Was it destiny that I met her when I did? Either way, our paths would have eventually crossed. But could I ever have linked her with Hao at that time? I don't think so. She was different back then, and she is different now. But, she left an impression on me. My mind often wandered back to her and our brief encounter. But, it would be a while before I, or any of us, saw her again...

...

I ran outside, breathless from my latest discovery. I had about 3 seconds to compose myself and gather my thoughts before I almost got squashed by a giant creature that seemed to appear out of thin air a mere couple of feet away from where I then stood. My gaze automatically reverted to the museum and Yoh, who sat blissfully unaware inside, probably musing over my sudden departure. Did Hao know about his existence? There was a good chance that he didn't. And I was not about to draw his attention to it. After all, he could be our only hope...

"You're good... I guess you have a lot of practice in stalking...?"

He jumped down from the Spirit of Fire and this time I could tell I may have pushed his buttons a little too hard... He came towards me. I was preparing for the worst. A slap... Or two... A severe burn... Or maybe something a little more permanent, like death? No, I couldn't get my hopes up... But apparently he wasn't the 'wife-beater' type. He kills innocent people, ruins lives and plans to eliminate all humans and take over the world but he draws the line at domestic abuse... Go figure. He stopped in front of me and put his hand out.

"Come"

I sighed. No point in making a scene and causing a struggle... I've tried to fight him... Many times, actually... When he first 'kidnapped' me, that is. And every couple of weeks consecutively for the full year after that. I've kinda come to realize I probably won't be able to overpower him physically... From what I've heard from him about his other lives, well _our_ other lives, I guess, he's always been stronger than me. Well, actually, he's always been stronger than everyone... Which may explain why he's so introverted... And probably a lot lonelier than he'll ever admit.

I didn't take his hand. I just walked past him and hoped onto Spirit of Fire myself. Which probably annoyed him. Which was good, because that was my intention. He followed suit and within seconds, we had teleported back to the campground.

"I divert my attention for a moment and you disappear," he said, turning to me. "It's almost as if I have to strap you down"

He seemed to get a little too excited at that last idea.

"Or you can just let me go?" I countered.

But, alas, he did not seem to like this suggestion. So much, in fact, that he ignored it completely.

"What am I going to do with you?" He asked aloud, but the question was clearly rhetorical, because any answer I gave he would promptly disregard.

"Maybe you trained me a little too well 1000 years ago..."

He looked up, suddenly serious.

"You don't have access to all the skills from your past lives. You sealed them away with your memories. But, they'll come back to you soon enough..."

I shrugged.

"When someone goes through the trouble of erasing _two_ lives worth of memories, it's probably because they _really_ don't want to remember those lives. You should probably respect that..."

"You may have locked away parts of our past, Amaya, but you can't erase the fact that it happened. Already, you're remembering details about who you were and how you lived"

"...How do you know?"

"Because... I never told you you were my apprentice, Amaya"

'_Is he lying to me? He did tell me, didn't he? Ugh, what if he's right. There's a reason I didn't want to remember our past together... But why? What would my reason be...? And how do I prevent it from happening?'_

"You don't"

"Stop reading my mind!"

"There was a time when you were able to shield your thoughts. Until the memory of that skill is restored, I'm afraid your mind is completely accessible to me"

'_Ugh, que tu es con. Laisse-moi tranquille déjà, salaud!'_

I smirked. He frowned.

'_I love being bilingual'_

I yawned and stretched my arms. It had been a long day.

"Okay well, that was pleasant, as always, but I'm tired so... Good night"

I grinned as I turned and left him smiling slyly at my retreating form.

**A/N: Sorry if you're a bit confused by the new/shifting POVs but I'm just trying something a little different. And I know I haven't exactly explained the circumstances or situation (or first 13 years) of Amaya's life or how she came to be with Hao again but I will in later chapters, I promise! Anyway, first chapter featuring Manta and Yoh. I know there wasn't much of them but there will be way more to come. Hope you liked it!**

**Ahhhh so sorry there was no breaks in he POV changes! They didnt show up for some reason. I uploaded the chapter again so hopefully it'll be more clear now ;)**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: The Star that Signals the Beginning

"Ahh, I feel alive again!" Yoh exclaimed as he downed a jug of water.

"Geez, it's because when you do stuff like that you get dehydrated"

"Yea... My bad" He laughed sheepishly.

"Thank you for waiting," the waitress said as she entered the room and put down three shaved ices, one in front of me and two in front of Yoh.

"It looks so good"

"It's not my problem, but if you eat both of those you're going to get a stomach ache"

"One of them is for this guy," Yoh said as he pulled out a mortuary tablet and placed it next to him on the table.

"Isn't that a mortuary tablet? It's not good to bring things like that from home! Mortuary tablets are meant to honour our ancestors' sleeping grounds!"

"I know that. I made this personally for him"

Without further notice, Amidamaru appeared out of thin air next to Yoh.

"Ahhhh!"

"Come on. Let's eat before they melt"

"Thank you very much," Amidamaru said gratefully.

"Ahhh... Amidamaru..."

"Now that we're friends, I like being with him," Yoh said happily.

"At this size, I can get around easily. And it's very convenient," Amidamaru added, just as enthusiastically.

"See?" They both said in unison.

"Convenient... How so?"

"I don't need an alarm clock. He'll wake me up by cursing me. When I'm lost, he helps me find my way. If some guy threatens me, I'm not scared at all. At night when it's scary to go to the bathroom, he follows me there. Well, it's all good like this," Yoh laughed.

"That sounds like fun..."

"Ah, hey, Manta?" Yoh looked up, suddenly serious.

"Huh?"

"About that girl..."

"Are you still thinking about the other day?"

"Yea..."

"She probably remembered she was late for dinner or something... Nothing to be preoccupied with"

"Hmmm, even so... I got a weird vibe from her..."

"You don't think she's really in danger or anything, do you?"

"Not sure... I can't explain it. It's like I know her from somewhere... Hey, where did you say she was from?"

"Uh... I don't know. But my guess would be France"

"I see..."

"She's probably already back home by now. You shouldn't put much thought into it"

"Yea... But, hmmm, I wonder..."

"...?"

"Ah, forget it," Yoh said. Nevertheless, he sat looking pensive for the rest of the time we were at the shaved ice place until we finally parted ways.

It wasn't like Yoh to be so preoccupied with his thoughts... Or to dwell on things too much. I'm sure that girl from the other day... Amaya... I'm sure she didn't mean anything by her strange, rash behaviour. She probably just mistook him for someone else. Or even if she was acting oddly, there must have been a logical reason behind it. But it didn't seem like Yoh to be bothered by it. After all, she was probably just some random girl neither of us would ever see again... Right? In any case, weeks went by, but still Yoh never brought it up again..

...

"Amaya-san! Amaya-san!"

I slowly rolled onto my side.

"Amaya-san!"

I stretched my arms above my head and yawned.

"Amaya-san!"

Slowly, I rubbed first one, then both, eyes open.

"What is it, Opacho?" I finally asked of the small child standing over my sprawled out form.

"It's almost noon! Amaya-san cannot sleep all day..!"

"Oh really?" I said raising an eyebrow. "Is that what he says?"

Ever since he'd started keeping serious tabs on me, I was basically left with nothing to do all day. I'd even stopped trying. Even if I did manage to get away for a bit, he'd probably just have me followed. Which isn't really having freedom at all, just thinking you do. I rather not give him the satisfaction of knowing what I do all day, anyway. So, I've opted to lie in bed for as long as physically possible so that I wouldn't have to deal with him, or his weird 'followers' any longer than absolutely necessary.

It's not that I disliked all of his followers... Just most. Opacho was an exception, though. I really did like her. She was so cute and innocent (or as cute and innocent as one can be raised under the eye and influence of Hao Asakura). She reminded me of how much I wanted to be a mother one day. I don't think I'd ever seriously be able to get away from Hao and leave her there. I'd feel too guilty. Who knows how severely he could corrupt her. So, if ever I did get my freedom, I'd be sure to take her with me.

"Amaya-san has been acting very childish lately. She can't sleep in all day to avoid Hao-sama"

I let out a genuine laugh at this. I was being put in my place by a two year old. It was absolutely absurd. Of course Hao would raise possibly the brightest two year old to have ever existed.

"I'm not avoiding him," I assured her. "He's not really the type of person you can avoid, after all"

"Amaya-san should be honoured that Hao-sama has taken such an interest in her"

Did he tell her to say that too? Probably not. He just trained her well. So sad. So young and already so twisted.

"And Amaya-san shouldn't be so hostile. Amaya-san is important to Hao-sama"

I wanted to laugh at this as well, but thought better of it when I saw Opacho's stern expression looming over me.

"Opacho, do you mind waiting outside for a bit? I need to get changed," I said sitting up.

Opacho pouted and waddled off to wait outside my tent. I exhaled deeply and let myself fall back down on my back. I closed my eyes a little longer than a normal blink. When I opened them again, I was suddenly very tempted to roll onto my side and sleep for the rest of the afternoon. Hao stood over me, beaming down at me. I rolled my eyes and sat up again, pulling the covers closer to my body for no particular reason.

"What are you doing?" I demanded. "I said I was getting changed. Get out"

"Really? It looked to me like you were going back to sleep..."

"Well then I must be having a really bad nightmare. Get out," I repeated, pointing at the exit.

But, of course, nothing I said was ever effective.

"Hmph," he chuckled darkly.

"Okay, what do you want?" I exclaimed, probably a little more annoyed at his clear procrastination than I should have been.

He looked at me a little longer than necessary in pure amusement as I tapped my foot impatiently.

"Let's go for lunch," he finally said nonchalantly.

I looked at him like he was completely insane. I was starving however. Damn, he must've read my thoughts. Nevertheless, I refused to give him the reaction he expected.

"Fine, I pick. Now get out, I need to get changed," I said, literally pushing him out of the tent.

I hadn't left the confines of the campsite for a while now, so I was somewhat excited just to be out and about... Not that I would ever admit this to him.

Opacho came along with us, which I was grateful for because I wasn't so sure I wanted to be alone with him. On top of that, I don't think I'd ever been out in public with Hao before, which meant I'd have to take care to make sure that he didn't burn random, innocent human passerbys. He seemed normal enough as we casually made our way down the crowded streets to my favourite sushi shop in Tokyo, which I discovered soon after my arrival there. He didn't even glare at the humans as they brushed by him... Odd. If I didn't know any better, I'd think he didn't have a seething, passionate hatred against all of them. But, of course, I did know better.

When we got there, I gave him one quick glance before entering. Opacho was effortlessly propped on his shoulders, as though she were some tiny little doll whose weight was negligible. She was wide-eyed, as though this was the first time she had seen a real city (which, come to think of it, it probably was). And Hao was unnervingly calm. I held my breath and walked in.

It was surprisingly busy. Waiters were bustling about and there was loud chatter coming from all directions. Hao hadn't said anything yet. I attributed it to the fact that he was too busy being in silent rage to voice his disgusted thoughts. I sneaked a glance at him again and, to my surprise, he appeared to be the embodiment of amusement, smiling lightly, eyes shining, Opacho still secured on his shoulders.

"Ahh, if it isn't the most beautiful young lady in all of Japan!"

I diverted my attention back to the front. A large older man stood in front of me, hair tied back and apron on.

"It's been a while! I was starting to think you went back home!"

"No," I said, smiling lightly.

'_Don't say anything,' _I silently commanded. I didn't turn to look at him, but I could just see the smirk forming on his lips.

"What can I do for you today, young lady? Oh, and who's this?" He said, suddenly noticing Hao. "Your boyfriend?"

"No!"

"Fiancée," Hao interjected.

I turned to glare at him. He smirked in return. The sushi man looked between the two of us in confusion.

"Really? You're not a little young for that...?"

Hao shrugged. I didn't answer.

"Well, I guess that would explain why you've been away from home for so long, right...?"

"Yea, she's been staying with me," Hao clarified.

I blushed lightly and mentally cursed at him.

"Oh, and the little girl... She's not... Um... Well, that's to say..."

I stared at the sushi man in a mixture of shock and horror. He couldn't seriously be suggesting...? Before I could even protest, however, Hao, tone suddenly serious, eyes glinting dangerously, replied:

"Is there a problem with that?"

The sushi man seemed so taken aback, he could but attempt to stutter an apology.

"We're going to sit!" I exclaimed as I pointed at a vacant table nearby, grabbing Hao and practically dragging him there before any other words could be spoken.

"You're holding my hand," Hao pointed out, looking down in amusement.

"No, I'm not!" I snapped, instantly letting go and taking a seat.

Realizing just how hungry I was, I quickly caught the eye of the sushi man and called to him.

"The usual, times two... And a half," I added, catching a glimpse of Opacho and remembering she was also there.

I figured they wouldn't mind it I ordered for them. And if they did...Oh, well.

"Is there a reason we're here or do you just enjoy being an arrogant..."

I reached over the tables and covered Opacho's ears before finishing.

"...Prick?"

I uncovered Opacho's ears. He chuckled.

"Actually, there is something I wanted to talk to you about..."

I looked at him expectantly.

"You plan on participating in the Shaman Fight"

It wasn't a question, more like a statement. I didn't bother replying. He clearly already knew everything he needed to know from my thoughts.

"I can't say I particularly like the idea, nor your reasons behind it..."

I mentally laughed at his last comment. I was only joining so I could stop him from becoming Shaman King... Or at least try. Of course he wouldn't like that motive.

"But, I won't try to stop you. I have a compromise. The Shaman Fight is about to officially begin. If I succeed in becoming Shaman King, you will be my wife. If I fail, then you are free to do as you wish. Seems fair enough, right?" He smiled good-naturedly.

"... I don't want to be your wife"

At this, Opacho pouted.

"Sorry, Opacho..."

"Is that so?" He was still amused. "I'm sure you'll change your mind soon enough"

He smiled at me from across the table. I narrowed my eyes. Just then, the sushi arrived. Thankfully, I could concentrate my thoughts on something other than how much I wanted to strangle him. I barely swallowed the last sushi and already I was pressing the sushi man for the bill. I didn't want to be confined to Hao's company any longer than absolutely necessary.

"Don't be silly!" The sushi man cried. "You're my favourite customer! I could never accept payment from you! And..." He said, turning to Hao and Opacho, a little more hesitantly, "Any friend of yours is a friend of mine. Hope you enjoyed your meal!" He called as he raced back towards the kitchen before Hao could make another corrective comment about his terminology.

We left the sushi place and I made to start walking when something lightly grabbed my wrist and pulled me back.

"Where are you going?" Hao asked.

Before I could answer, he pulled me closer and, with Opacho on his shoulders, instantaneously transported us back to the campsite.I pulled away from him as soon as I felt my feet on level ground.

"That really wasn't necessary," I said coldly in reference to our close proximity during the teleportation.

He simply smirked. I turned on my heels in annoyance and began to stalk back to my tent, eager to be anywhere but near him but stopped short when I saw, streaking through the sky what appeared to be a big, bright shooting star. I turned around to look at Hao. He had also noticed the star. He diverted his gaze down to look at me and we held eye contact for a brief few seconds in mutual understanding... The Shaman Fight had just begun. I got back to my tent and instantly summoned Aya... It was time to train.

**Ikkona: In response to your question, no I'm not French but I speak it pretty fluently and I wanted to give Amaya's character a bit more depth by giving her a second language. So, you'll probably be hearing her speak French too from time to time =)**

**Thanks to all my reviewers! **


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18: The Qualification

After Yoh's fight with Ren, Yoh's fiancée, Anna, mysteriously showed up to train him. She's been working him to death. Turns out this shaman business is even more crazy than I thought. There's a whole tournament and everything! And it appears this Ren guy plans on eliminating the competition before the tournament even begins. And it's not just him! His whole family seems dedicated to the cause. His sister, Tao Jun, even went so far as to control the corpse of Lee Pai-Long and use it to attack Yoh! Lee Pai-Long! My idol! As if that weren't enough, another one of Ren's family members attacked Yoh and while we were returning from a grocery run! Just as Anna said, it seems shamans are beginning to gather in Tokyo from all over the world for the tournament. Ren wasn't the only shaman we met. In fact, just the other day, Yoh and I found a boy starving on the side of the road and he turned out to be an ice shaman named Horo Horo! He's come to live with Yoh for the time being. Even more surprisingly, Bokutou no Ryu turned out to be a shaman as well! After he was possessed by an evil spirit, Tokageroh, his hidden shamanic potential was revealed! In the struggle to save Ryu, Harusame was destroyed but, with his newfound shamanic abilities, Ryu was able to merge with Mosuke and repair it again to just like new. But in all the bustle of what was happening, we almost forgot that the beginning of the Shaman Fight was quickly approaching. Yoh's dad had just sent a surprise ambush to test Yoh' new abilities. I was getting a ride home from one of Ryu's friends when it happened. A bright, comet-like orb soared through the sky.

"Wh-What's that?"

"A star... Maybe Yoh-kun..."

I raced back to Yoh's house.

"The legendary star. Lago"

"Lago?" I asked from below. He was on the balcony above with Anna.

"Uh? What? You didn't go home?"

"What's Lago?"

"The star that signals the beginning"

"Beginning?"

"Lago is in one of the Esoteric Buddhism stories. It's a mysterious star that represents total destruction. It's said to near Earth with the star Keito once every 500 years, bringing great disaster"

"Destruction?" I asked, as I reached the balcony where Anna and Yoh were. "Great disaster? I've never heard of this"

"Of course not. Because a saviour has appeared each time and changed it from great destruction to a great revival"

"A saviour...? Uhh! Do you mean..?"

Horo Horo, who had appeared behind me, smirked. Anna looked down.

"Yes. That would be the Shaman King"

The two stars crossed the sky, warning the shamans that it was time... The time for the Great Revival.

"At last," Yoh smiled.

'_Maybe... Just maybe...We'll meet again, soon... Amaya'_

...

With the start of the Shaman Fight in the midst, I could at least breathe easy knowing Hao wouldn't be able to keep such a close eye on me. After all, he couldn't watch every move I made during initiation and the preliminary rounds. It was about a year and a half ago when Hao took me from my family. I was 12. Since then, I hadn't done much training. Shortly after we got to Japan, Hao had introduced, or reintroduced, me to Aya. Although I couldn't remember specific instances of our past, I felt my connection with her as strongly as ever. I had made sure to only train in secret since then. I didn't want Hao silently assessing my progress and I didn't want him calculating my uses for his cause. But I knew I had to get serious now. If I had any hope of ever contributing to Hao's downfall, I needed to get stronger.

I wasted no time in taking Aya and traveling deeper into the shrubbery surrounding the campground. I had tossed my hair into a high ponytail and changed into old sweats and a t-shirt. I had already started training for hand-to-hand combat before, but now I wanted to brush up on my sword skills. When I first left home with Hao, I had been sure to bring with me as many of my personal belongings as possible, just in case I ever had any use for them. Since I was born into a prestigious French shaman family, this included various weapons and objects that would benefit me as a shaman. One of these items was an ancient katana that had been an heirloom in my family. Why a French family cherished a Japanese weapon for so many years, I wasn't sure. But, when I began practicing with it, the blade moved naturally, abiding by my will, as though I had already had training with it. Of course, I probably had had training with such a blade, I just couldn't recall it.

So, I went with Aya and together we practiced my technique with the sword. And we practiced my form. And finally, I closed my eyes, katana held firmly in both hands, and I listened. I wasn't really waiting for anything specific, just testing my senses, and seeing how skilfully I could control the blade without the help of my sight. I stood in silence for a couple of moments, simply feeling the nature around me. Then, without warning, I whipped around and thrust the blade, pointing it at the intruder. His reflexes were unparalleled, however, and he effortlessly put up his hand to stop the blade.

"Why are you watching me?" I demanded.

"You've improved," he noted calmly, smiling.

I lowered my weapon and sighed.

"Ah, but you're not a fighter at heart..."

"No," I agreed. "I don't really like to fight. But I don't know any other way to defeat you"

He smirked.

"Your efforts are futile. You should focus your energy on more productive things..."

"That's a matter of opinion," I said sticking the blade into the ground and sitting down cross-legged on the ground in front of it. All that training had tired me out a bit. "You know, I don't know how you can kill so easily... I don't think I could ever take another person's life..."

"Maybe not directly"

"Yea," I said, almost guiltily. I knew the circumstances under which he was defeated 500 years ago. It was one of the first memories that had fully returned to me. "I didn't really have a choice..."

"I don't really like to kill, either. But it's necessary. To cleanse the Earth of its impurities. In order to create a new world without corruption"

"But, you kill without hesitation...It's not..." I trailed off, stealing a glance up at him.

"Death isn't the end," he said a little quieter. "It means nothing..."

"Maybe to you!" I countered. "But not everyone can manipulate the circumstances of their life and death like you do...!"

"Sacrifices are necessary to the creation of a better world. Those who would only be nuisances to its development have no place in my Shaman Kingdom"

"You're really stubborn," I sighed. "I don't know why, but I have this feeling that you're not inherently bad. Just _really_ misguided. I hope for your sake I'm right"

He chuckled and offered me his hand, which I reluctantly took to help myself up.

"This is the second time you take my hand... You must be warming up to me..."

"No!" I snapped, pulling my hand away as I rolled my eyes. "You're too arrogant..."

"When the two stars finally meet each other over this land, our King shall be revived, to show the path that we should walk. Right now, the circle that links the stars with the land and us is welcoming the time for new growth. It is our duty, as the people of the Path, to watch over this. Go and fulfill our destiny"

"Everything is as the Great Spirit wishes," we had said in unison.

That was what we had said when Lago had first crossed the sky. The time has finally come for us, as the Patch officials, to assess the potential Shaman Fight participants. The time of the Shaman Fight had officially come upon us. I had already called forth all shamans gathered here in Tokyo willing to participate and willing to risk their lives for this opportunity. And I had already tested many, some who had passed, many who had failed. This next contender, however, particularly interested me. She was a young girl, without fear or hesitation. When I had come to her, she was waiting for me already... Waiting for my instruction.

...

"_So you want to participate in the Shaman Tournament. But, a young girl like you, you don't look like much of a fighter... Are you truly prepared?"_

"_Yeah, it'll just be all the more embarrassing when I defeat you with the first hit, then, right?" she asked as she flipped her hair back, lips curled upwards in a barely-visible smile._

"_Ah, you're confident. But would you have the same response if, to participate, you were given the choice between life or death?"_

"_There are worse things than death," she smiled._

"_If that's your final decision, then let us meet again when the star calls"_

"_I'll be waiting"_

...

It was now time for me to test this girl's abilities. Did she truly have what it took to participate? Looking at her, one would judge no. But appearances are often deceiving... Everything is up to the will of the Great Spirits.

"Well, at least you didn't keep me waiting too long"

She had arrived. She was wearing white shorts, a loose black shirt and ballerina flats. Her hair was styled in one long braid down her shoulder. More than ever, I doubted this girl's capabilities. She looked more like a teen idol than a Shaman Fight contestant.

"So you have made your decision?"

"Of course!"

"Then, let's begin!" I removed my cape and mask in one swift motion and introduced myself.

She stared at me, but didn't respond.

'_What the hell... I know him... Where have I seen him before...?He looks like... Hao... He looks exactly like Hao. From 500 years ago. But... That's impossible. Unless... Yes, Hao was a Patch. I remember him now vividly in my mind. But, how? Are more of my memories coming back to me? And what does this mean? Is this his descendant...? Was he my descendant as well...? No, I don't think so. But Hao... This is the product of his offspring from 500 years ago...? Could it be..?'_

"Hey! Are you listening to me?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, sorry..."

"As I was saying, before I can allow you to enter the Shaman Fight, I must test your abilities..."

"Yeah... One hit, 10 minutes, right?"

"Huh?"

'_How did she know that? This girl is very strange indeed...'_

"Well, if you already know the rules, then there's no need for me to explain any further. If you can hit me once, Amandine Dubois, then I will grant you proof of your participation in the Shaman Tournament"

"...I haven't been called that in a very long time!" She winced.

'_Eh? Did she not hear me? That's beside the point!'_

"Alright, one hit. This shouldn't be a problem. Aya!"

A majestic nature spirit in the form of a deer appeared before me. I could feel a strong aura emitting from it. Hmmm, this might be interesting after all.

"I see you also have a nature spirit. But will your one spirit be enough to defeat my five?"

"Yeah, actually I hope you don't mind, but I've been meaning to try something out for a while now. I don't really have many people of comparable strength around that I could test this out on so..."

'_Is she using me as a test dummy? I'm supposed to be the one giving the test! Does she not take this seriously at all?'_

"Are you ready?" She asked.

She oversouled her spirit, first into the katana which she held, and then sticking the katana into the ground, extended the reach of her oversoul to the very earth beneath our feet. She pulled out her katana and, as she did, the earth around and under us mounted until she had created two mini mountains on which we each stood.

"Now, I can control the ground and the land at the same time!"

I didn't quite understand what she meant by that but, next thing I knew, she had collapsed the ground beneath my feet, turning it into quick sand and, before I could even manage to prevent myself from sinking further, she soared at me, katana in hand.

"Piercing landslide!"

A wave of earth and rocks washed over me and cut at my very flesh, breaking through each and every one of my defences and leaving me completely buried.

"Oppss, guess I went a bit too far"

And with that, the whole mountain and all the earth and rocks she had buried me under disappeared in an instant and I fell with a thud onto the ground below

"Sorry..." She said sheepishly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I said, rubbing my back as I got up.

"At least now I know I _can _harness the earth's power through my blade. Thanks," she smiled.

I looked at her intently.

"Who are you really?"

She looked at me, suddenly serious as well.

"Ah, and here I was thinking you Patch could tell me..."

We stood in silence for a moment.

"You've been trained well"

"Yeah," she agreed. "I was trained by the best"

"Well, you've passed the test. As promised, here is your proof of participation," I said handing her an Oracle Bell. "It will keep you updated on upcoming matches and other information regarding the tournament. It relays the will of the Great Spirit directly"

"Thanks," she said, attaching it to the belt loop of her shorts.

"It's supposed to go on your wrist," I pointed out.

"Yeah, I know. Fashion statement," she winked. "I'm joking. I don't like bulky things on my arms..."

I opted to not argue any further.

"Hey, by the way, Silva? You're testing someone else now, aren't you?"

"That's correct"

"Who is it?"

"I am not at liberty to disclose that information"

"Fine. I'll just wait and see then," she said as she sat down beneath a tree a good distance away from the battle area we used.

'_Damn, she's stubborn'_

...

Silva stood waiting for the new shaman to arrive. I was anxious. For some reason, I just had a feeling it would be...

"It appears that you have made your decision"

I just noticed Silva had put back on his strange costume. How lame.

'_He does it just to be dramatic,'_ I laughed.

"Yes"

The boy... His opponent... It was him. My intuition had been right. It was Yoh, who was born of the same family lineage as Hao. I was anxious to see his ability... And secretly scared that he would fail. Judging from our brief encounter, he didn't seem like the ambitious type. But perhaps I was wrong. I secretly hoped he wouldn't notice me, at least until after the match, because I didn't want to distract him. I shuffled a little deeper into the shadows.

Silva swiftly removed his cape and mask and I knew the match was about to begin.

"I am Silva, one of the ten officiating priests who have overseen the Shaman Fight since ancient times. I will test you to see if you have the right to enter the Shaman Fight"

"The right?"

Already, I could tell he was at a disadvantage. He didn't even know the Shaman Tournament entailed an initiation! This didn't look good...

"It's a simple test. I am an officiating priest for the Shaman Fight. Try to hit me with a clean blow. If you can manage that, Asakura Yoh, you will gain the right to enter the Shaman Fight"

"Yoh-dono..."

"Yeah, a member of the Patch... Officiating priest of the Shaman Fight. I don't understand it, but if it's just one hit!" He said, throwing the cover off his katana. "Let's go, Amidamaru! Spirit ball mode! Hyoui Gattai!"

I silently shook my head. He didn't know oversoul yet...? There was no way he could win with Hyoui Gattai! It was too elementary...

"Watch closely, Silva, and see if I have the right or not. This is our strength!"

He sent an attack at Silva.

"That's an impressive Hyoui Gattai. But, you can't touch me with that"

One of Silva's spirits easily blocked the attack.

"He deflected it?"

"My Buttagiri was..."

"How did he do that?"

"Oh yes, I forgot. You have ten minutes. Within that time..."

"One hit!"

"That's right!"

"If the ranged Buttagiri won't work, I'll have to go full contact!" Yoh cried as he lunged at him.

Silva blocked again.

"Did you hear me? You can't touch me with the Hyoui Gattai!"

Yoh looked shocked for a moment.

"That is...?"

"What is this?"

Yoh was pushed back by Silva's oversoul.

"That's the thing that blocked our attack," Yoh said, noticing the shield formed around Silva's arm.

"He is the turtle spirit, Silva Shield. He is a reliable spirit who protects me"

"The primary spirit became a shield itself? How is his Hyoui Gattai different from mine?"

'_Come on Yoh, you can figure this out! You must...!'_

"Two minutes have passed. Eight minutes remaining"

"I can do the math!"

Yoh attacked again.

"Spirit of the buffalo, Silva Horn"

The oversoul guarding Silva's legs quickly refuted Yoh's attack.

"Yoh-dono!"

"I'm fine"

"Silva Tail, spirit of the coyote"

"You've got to be kidding! How many spirits does he have?"

'_That is a bit of an unfair advantage,'_ I thought.

Silva appeared behind him. Yoh unleashed another attack. Silva quickly blocked with his arm.

"How can he block my attacks so easily?"

"Spirit of the snake, Silva Rod!"

Silva sent another attack at him.

"Amidamaru, lend me all your strength!"

"Understood!"

"Hyoui 120%!"

Still, Yoh's attack was deflected. Silva used his wings oversoul to fly up in the air.

"My Hyoui Gattai isn't working against him. He doesn't have a normal Hyoui Gattai..."

"What do you mean?"

"The Hyoui Gattai is a technique to become one with the primary spirit, so that one can use its strength. But, even if you fuse with the spirit of an eagle... Humans aren't birds. He can't fly like that!"

"But Silva is!"

"Yeah. It seems like he's using the spirits in a completely different way than me"

"It looks like you're starting to understand. That is correct, this isn't Hyoui Gattai. I am materializing the spirits"

"Materializing?"

"That's right. To shape it into a real form. By doing that, I can fly with the spirit of the eagle, Silva Wing. This materialization ability for spirits is an ability shamans call furyoku"

'_Hey, he's giving him a lot of hints. Silva must have taken a special interest in him, too. So maybe I'm not the only one who thinks that he could be the one...'_

"Furyoku?"

"Surprised, kid? Let me tell you something. As long as we're here, we won't let you touch Silva. Your Hyoui Gattai won't work against us! Got it? If you understand, just give up! Go home, take a shit, and go to sleep!"

All of Silva's spirits began to laugh in unison. I giggled to myself, trying not to be too loud. I didn't want Yoh to notice me, after all.

"Those guys are pissing me off!"

"That samurai spirit is strong. And your Hyoui Gattai is impressive. But what I want to test isn't the strength of that samurai. It is your power as a shaman. Only furyoku can defeat spirits created by furyoku. Only your furyoku can inflict damage to me"

"Furyoku... Not Amidamaru, but my strength as a shaman..."

"Five minutes remaining," Silva informed as he attacked Yoh, sending him flying.

At this point, I was very tempted to just yell out the method of oversoul but Silva, somehow seeming to read my thoughts, took this moment to look over at me and give me a stern look of warning. Interference and outside help was, obviously, not permitted. I simply shrugged in response and kept quiet.

"You are only using the Hyoui Gattai to become one with that samurai"

"You say that but... What else is there besides my own body?"

'_Your sword!' _I mentally yelled at him. I almost wished he had the same ability as his ancestor in that moment.

"Use your mind, boy. The most important aspect of a Shaman King is his mind!"

"Mind?"

'_Well, I guess Hao wouldn't do very well then...'_ I laughed to myself.

They continued to fight back and forth.

"If you miss this chance, the next Shaman Fight will be in 500 years"

I'm sure he meant it as a joke but, for some people (*cough, ahem* Hao *cough*), that was actually kinda true...

"I'll be long dead by then," Yoh said, struggling to keep himself standing.

"That's why this is your only chance. Four minutes left"

'_Wouldn't that be nice? Everyone gets only one chance. That's how it's supposed to be, after all...'_

"It appears... My strength..."

"That's not it. It's me. Furyoku... What is the furyoku?"

"That's it! Think! Use your mind!"

They clashed attacks again. Yoh was getting beat-up bad. And time was slowly trickling away. I was starting to get really nervous. Could he figure out the whole concept of an oversoul in just a few minutes' time?

"Yoh-dono!"

"Less than three minutes remaining"

"How does one use the furyoku?"

"Hey Silva, this kid's no good! He doesn't stand a chance!"

"He came out again..."

"Forget the three minutes, let's just leave"

"It's a waste of time"

"Yep"

"What the hell is with these animals?"

Silva's spirits were quite arrogant. They were even starting to get on my nerves. Yoh could do this. There was something about him I felt that I could trust. I wanted to believe in him... In fact,  
I did believe in him, even though I didn't know him. He had Hao's blood in him. He was more than capable of this...!

All of a sudden, Yoh seemed to realize something. His expression changed from frustration to amazement. I couldn't hear his thoughts but somehow I knew he had finally figured out the concept. I leaned forward a little more in anticipation.

"Two minutes remaining," Silva smirked.

"Are we out of options?"

"No. There might be one more. I don't understand it fully, but lend me your powers"

"Of course!"

"Amidamaru! Spirit ball mode!"

"I told you that the Hyoui Gattai wouldn't work!"

"That's not the Hyoui Gattai. It looks like he has figured it out"

"If the Hyoui Gattai using my body won't work, then Amidamaru in Harusame!"

"Impossible! Could this be?"

'_Yessssssssssssssssss!'_ I literally jumped up and clapped my hands together. Thank God the commotion of the fight was loud enough that it went undetected.

"The materialization of a spirit is done by putting the spirit in a symbolic item. The symbol for a samurai is indeed a katana. Yes, he has learned a new ability. Materialization of a spirit, oversoul! Using the oversoul for the first time is tiring, isn't it? That is what is meant by using the furyoku"

"Then that means that I finally stand a chance. How much time is left?"

"One minute"

"I guess I can do something about it if I have that much time"

"I'm not too sure about that. I can now use my full strength"

"Full strength?"

"Spiritual Fusion! Totem Pole Cannon!" His spirits seemed to merge into some kind of laser machine.

'_Hey, he didn't use that on me...'_I thought, slightly offended.

"This is another form of the oversoul. It combines all of the spirits' strength into one. If your furyoku can beat this, you can defeat all my spirits in one blow. This attack might kill you. But if you still want to become Shaman King... Then challenge it!"

"The choice between life and death..."

"Are you not scared of death?"

"Such a person doesn't exist..."

'_I beg to differ...'_

"... But if I give up now and get off easy... I will never be able to be at ease"

"So it's better to die"

"I'll manage somehow"

"I see, that is how your soul works. Very well. Show me your strength as a shaman! Totemic Soul Blast!"

"This isn't my strength alone. This is the strength of both Amidamaru and me! Here I go! This is the Buttagiri that I learned with my body!"

Silva sent his blast and Yoh fired his attack. At the point of impact, there was a large explosion. I stood up again to get a better look. Was Yoh okay...? Did he overpower Silva's blast..?

"A direct hit! This could be serious!"

"Look carefully"

Yoh stood, using his oversoul to push back Silva's blast.

"He caught it?"

With one final push, Yoh sent Silva's attack back towards him. I watched as each of his defences broke.

"It didn't reach Silva..."

"Yoh-dono..."

"Don't worry about it. You did very well. I did all I could as well... Ah, well..." Yoh suddenly collapsed.

"Yoh-dono!"

"Don't worry, samurai. He's just exhausted from overusing the furyoku. It was an impressive furyoku that hit me"

"Hit?"

"He's... qualified," Silva said, as his headband tore down the middle and slipped down his forehead.

"What?" Yoh said, suddenly popping up.

"Now, accept this. This is the proof you need to enter the Shaman Fight, the oracle bell"

"Oracle bell?"

""It will display information from the Patch tribe and act as an electronic communicator"

"Yes! Yes!" Yoh began jumping up and down. I stifled a laugh. I knew I shouldn't be hanging around anymore. I had to get back before Hao started to get suspicious. I got up to leave.

"Let me finish!" Silva exclaimed, annoyed at Yoh's screaming over his explanation. Then, he noticed me leaving. "Ah, perhaps your spectator wishes to congratulate you on your success..."

I froze in my tracks. Damn him, drawing attention to me. I could have slipped away unnoticed. Yoh turned around.

"Ehhhhhhhhhhh?"

I turned around slowly, biting my lip and gave a small wave to Yoh and a hard glare to Silva.

"Ah, Amaya...?" Yoh exclaimed.

I didn't know if it was better or worse that he remembered me from out brief meeting. He smiled at me from his distant vantage point and, suddenly, I felt at ease and smiled back. He gestured for me to come over. I looked over my shoulder, just to make sure I wasn't being followed, and slowly walked towards them.

Silva cleared his throat. "As I was saying, all information regarding the Shaman Fight will be transmitted through the oracle bell. It will display the will of the Great Spirit directly"

"Great Spirit?"

"It is the all-knowing, most powerful spirit that only the Shaman King may inherit. It is the source of all the souls that have been watching since the beginning of the world, the king of the spirits. May the Great Spirit guide you both! Everything is as the Great Spirit wishes" Silva said, as he lifted off into the air.

Yoh looked down at his oracle bell and then up at me.

"Looks like it's going to get interesting, don't you think, Amaya?"

"Yeah..."

'_More than you even know,' _I thought, looking up at where Silva's form had been a few moment before.

"You're not surprised...? I mean, that I'm a shaman, that is..."

"No, I always had my suspicions," he smiled.

"I see..."

"Is everything okay now?" He asked, catching me a little off guard.

I looked at his questioningly.

"I mean, with that person you were running from..."

"Oh..."

His question was innocent enough but still I got a little paranoid again. I quickly scanned the parameter, just to be sure.

"It's complicated," I admitted.

"I see..." He said, looking up at the sky.

"I'm surprised you remember me," I admitted, turning my gaze back down to him.

"You're not an easy person to forget," he smiled, still looking up at the sky.

I felt a small blush creep up. Why was I even blushing? Was he making me... Nervous?

"Do you ever look at the stars?" He again caught me off guard.

"Yeah, often..." I looked up again. The sky was clear and dimly lit by thousands of tiny stars.

"They're beautiful, aren't they?"

"Yeah... I sit under the stars, for hours sometimes, and just lose myself in thought..."

"We should look at the stars together some time," Yoh said, smiling as he looked down at me.

"Yeah, I would... Like that"

I smiled back at him. We stood for a moment, smiling, locked in eye contact.

"Yoh-dono!" Amidamaru suddenly appeared, ruining the moment. "You haven't introduced me to your friend!"

"Ahh, Amidamaru, this is Amaya"

"Nice to meet you"

"It is an honour to meet any friend of Yoh-dono's"

"Oh, this is Aya," I said, willing her to appear.

"A deer?" Yoh asked, surprised.

"Yeah, she's a nature spirit"

"She's beautiful"

We smiled at one another again, sharing another moment.

"I should be going," I suddenly realized, remembering Hao.

"Will you be okay getting back...?"

"I'm officially a qualified Shaman Fight participant," I said, winking as I pointed at my oracle bell. "I'll be fine... Thanks"

He smiled. I turned to leave.

"Ah, Amaya?"

"Hm?" I turned around to face him.

"If ever you, uh... Well, that's to say... If ever..."

All of a sudden, Yoh was the one blushing. I raised an eyebrow at his flustered countenance.

"Yes...?"

"Well, uh, if ever you need to get away again..."

"Are you offering me a place to stay?"

"...Yeah"

I smiled, despite myself.

"Would that be okay? I mean, with your parents...Won't they be suspicious...?"

I didn't mean anything by that last part, but I guess he took it the wrong way because he blushed again.

"... I don't actually live with them..." He replied sheepishly.

"Oh, so you live by yourself...?"

"... Kinda"

"I see... Well, thanks for the offer. Maybe I'll take you up on it one day...?"

And with that, I turned around and walked away. As soon as I was out of clear view, though, I bolted. Hao would surely notice I'd been gone so long. By the time I got to the campsite, I was out of breath. Hao was calmly sitting in front of one of his infamous fires. He barely glanced up at my arrival.

"So you passed"

"Obviously..."

"What took you so long?" He looked up at me, his stare suddenly dangerous.

"Training," I lied.

As I was running, I had prepared myself to completely push everything out of my thoughts, namely Yoh. By the time I got there, I had managed to make my mind a perfect blank. And, worse case, if any thoughts started seeping in, I could always switch my language to French. But, that was a last case scenario because Hao would obviously know I was hiding something if I randomly started thinking in French.

"Is that so...?"

"Yeah"

"Sit," he motioned.

I obliged, not because I was scared of him, but simply because I wasn't quite in the right position to start pushing his buttons. I couldn't risk him finding out about Yoh...

"The stars are beautiful, no?" He said, looking up.

My heart rate began to increase considerably. Was this topic of conversation a coincidence? Probably not...

"Yeah..."

"Why are you suddenly anxious?" He asked, looking back down at me.

"I'm not," I lied again.

"Ahh, really?"

He got up and walked through the fire towards me. I tried to appear as calm as possible and keep my mind blank as he approached, but I could feel my heart almost bursting through my chest. He stopped in front of me and leaned over me, staring at me intently. I swear this was some kind of military abuse. I tried not to make eye contact. Without further notice, he reached out his hand and pressed it against my chest.

"Hey, personal bubble!" I exclaimed, attempting to push his hand away. But, obviously, he was physically stronger than me.

"If you're not nervous, then why is your heart beating so fast, hmm?"

I finally managed to break the physical contact between us.

"What are you hiding?"

He leaned closer. I inadvertently leaned back.

"You... make me nervous," I finally managed to reply. It wasn't a complete lie. He did make me nervous, especially when he came so close to me...

"Is that so?"

He leaned even closer. I leaned so far back away from him, I almost lost my balance and toppled over but he managed to casually move an arm around my waist and prevent my fall. But I think I would have preferred the situation where I fell over because now he was inches away from me, his arm around my waist the only thing keeping me balanced so, if I moved any further back I would either be stopped by his support, or else fall over, and if I moved any further up, our faces would literally be touching.

"Do you mind?" I said, a little less confidently than I would have liked.

Somehow, that seemed to get through to him. Without another word, he removed himself from my immediate bubble, using his arm around my waist to straighten me out so I was balanced before he stood up and turned around.

"Good night," he said, back to me, as he walked away, leaving me confused and alone in front of his dying fire.


End file.
